Variable torque linear motor/generator/transmission

ABSTRACT

A linear motor/generator/transmission system includes a guideway with rails and a plurality of stator cores and coils evenly disposed along the length and in the center of the guideway. The system also includes a carriage configured to travel along the guideway having at least two magnet bars with alternating pole magnets, each successive magnet of each magnet bar mounted in front of the other in a direction of travel of the carriage. In embodiments, the magnet bars are mounted parallel to and on either side of a longitudinal centerline of the carriage such that, when adjacent to the center line and each other, the at least two magnet bars are positioned over the stator coils and are configured to be slidably translated away from the center line of the carriage to a position where the at least two magnet bars are not over the stator coils.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/032,468, filed Aug. 1, 2014; U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/146,694, filed Apr. 13, 2015; U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/146,725, filed Apr. 13, 2015; U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/322,052, filed Apr. 13, 2016; U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/353,413, filed Jun. 22, 2016; U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/399,907, filed Sep. 26, 2016; U.S.Non-Provisional Pat. Application No. 14/815,733 (U.S. Pat. No.9,479,037), filed Jul. 31, 2015; U.S. Non-Provisional Pat. ApplicationNo. 15/332,824, filed Oct. 24, 2016; and U.S. Non-Provisional Pat.Application No. 15/486,727, filed Apr. 13, 2017 are incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Electric motors and generators can operate in the 90 to 98% efficiencyrange near their rated revolutions per minute (RPM) and torquespecifications. Likewise, linear electric motors can operate at thissame efficiency when operating at their rated linear speed and poundspull. While this narrow band of high efficiency rating in electricradial motors and generators and linear motors is high, when these samemotors and generators are operating outside the specified RPM, torque,linear speed and pull rating the efficiencies dramatically decreasesometimes to as low as 30 to 60%.

In the transportation sector, the moving of goods and people from onepoint to another requires significant starting, stopping and speedvariations. Linear motors are most often used for moving goods and orpeople from one point to another. Permanent magnets are attractive forlinear motors in that external power only needs to be supplied to thestationary or stator side of the linear motor simplifying theconstruction and greatly increasing the range of efficiency in speed andpull. But permanent magnet linear motors are still limited in theirefficiency range. They also have a problem with back EMF and extremedrag while in the coast mode due to the permanent magnet passingcontinuously by the iron core of the stator.

DRAWINGS

The Detailed Description is described with reference to the accompanyingfigures. The use of the same reference numbers in different instances inthe description and the figures may indicate similar or identical items.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a motor/generator/transmission(MGT) unit, which may be connected to one or more additional MGT units,in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a MGT unit, such as the MGTunit illustrated in FIG. 1 , in accordance with an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of a MGT unit, such as theMGT unit illustrated in FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded perspective view of a MGT unit, such as theMGT unit illustrated in FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a MGT unit, such asthe MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure, where a rotor includes a set ofmagnets, shown in a neutral position;

FIG. 6 is cross-sectional side elevation view of the MGT unitillustrated in FIG. 5 , where the set of magnets is moved from theneutral position to engage the first stator with the rotor;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of separated center three-phasestator winding assemblies, in accordance with an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of a two-wire separated statorwinding assembly, in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of a four-wire separated statorwinding assembly, in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of a six-wire separated statorwinding assembly, in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic illustration of stator winding sets in aparallel gear configuration, in accordance with an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 11B is a diagrammatic illustration of stator winding sets in aparallel gear configuration, where a portion of multiple parallelnon-twisted wires are connected in parallel and one or more wires aredisconnected from the connected portion of the multiple parallelnon-twisted wires, in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 11C is a diagrammatic illustration of stator winding sets in aparallel gear configuration, where a portion of multiple parallelnon-twisted wires are connected in parallel and one or more wires aredisconnected from the connected portion of the multiple parallelnon-twisted wires, in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of stator winding sets in apartially parallel/partially series gear configuration, in accordancewith an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is another diagrammatic illustration of stator winding sets in apartially parallel/partially series gear configuration, in accordancewith an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of stator winding sets in aseries gear configuration, in accordance with an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating control components for an MGTunit/system, in accordance with an example embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view illustrating MGT unit, in accordance withan example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is another perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG.16 , in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 16with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 19 is another perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG.16 with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 20 is another perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG.16 with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 is another perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG.16 with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 22 is a side elevation view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 16with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure, where two rotors are shown apartfrom one another, in positions that are a distance from a stator of theMGT unit (Position 1);

FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 16with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure, where two rotors are shown apartfrom one another and an inner edge of each rotor is coplanar with anouter edge of the stator (Position 2);

FIG. 24 is a side elevation view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 16with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure, where two rotors are broughttogether and inner edges of the two rotors are coplanar with a centralplane of the stator (Position 3);

FIG. 25 is a perspective view illustrating MGT unit, in accordance withan example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 26 is another perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG.25 with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 27 is another perspective view of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG.25 with a portion of its housing removed, in accordance with an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a rotor assembly at least partiallysurrounded by a stator ring of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 25 , inaccordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a rotor assembly of the MGT unitillustrated in FIG. 25 , in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional side view of a rotor assembly at leastpartially surrounded by a stator ring of the MGT unit illustrated inFIG. 25 , in accordance with an example embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 31 is another perspective view of a rotor assembly at leastpartially surrounded by a stator ring of the MGT unit illustrated inFIG. 25 , in accordance with an example embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a rotor actuator of the MGT unitillustrated in FIG. 25 , in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 33 is another perspective view of the rotor actuator of the MGTunit illustrated in FIG. 25 , in accordance with an example embodimentof the present disclosure;

FIG. 34 is a side elevation view of a first set of gears for the rotoractuator of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 25 , in accordance with anexample embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a planetary gear, in accordance with anexample embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 36 is a side elevation view of a second set of gears for the rotoractuator of the MGT unit illustrated in FIG. 25 , including theplanetary gear of FIG. 35 , in accordance with an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 37A is a schematic of a stator winding configuration of a 3-phasestator, in accordance with an example embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 37B is a schematic of a dual wound stator configurationimplementing multiple separately controlled split-pole 3-phase statorsin a common stator assembly, in accordance with an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 38 is a block diagram illustrating a hybrid vehicle that employs anMGT unit, such as any of the MGT units illustrated by FIG. 1 through37B, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 41 is a perspective view of an example of a guideway of anembodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a guideway of anembodiment of a LMGT system;

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of an underside of an example of aguideway of an embodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 44 is a perspective view an example of a stator assembly of anembodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of an underside of an example of acarriage of an embodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of an underside of an example of acarriage of an embodiment of an LMGT system;

FIG. 47 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the magnet barassembly for an individual magnet bar 740;

FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGT systemillustrating one of the magnet bars of the carriage engaged with thestator assembly of the guideway;

FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGT systemillustrating two magnet bars of the carriage engaged with the statorassembly of the guideway;

FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGT systemillustrating three magnet bars of the carriage engaged with the statorassembly of the guideway;

FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGT systemillustrating four magnet bars of the carriage engaged with the statorassembly of the guideway;

FIG. 52 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a LMGT system having asecondary power unit;

FIG. 53 is a perspective view of an example of a secondary power unit ofan embodiment of a LMGT system;

FIG. 54 is a side view of an example of a secondary power unit of anembodiment of a LMGT system; and

FIG. 55 is an end view of an embodiment of a LMGT system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

The state of the art in permanent magnet electric motors and generatorsis that the magnetic field of the rotor is not adjustable, but isinstead fixed. As a result most motors and generators are designed for aspecific speed and torque with a very narrow range of optimumefficiency. High torque requirements in a motor or generator requiremore powerful permanent magnets which in turn create a large back EMFthat is in turn overcome with high voltage and amperage. When motorspeed and torque are constant, the motor or generator can be designedfor optimum efficiency at its design speed and torque. Many times thisefficiency is above 90%. Thus in the manufacture of these motors thestator core, core windings and permanent magnets are all selected to acttogether in the most efficient manner possible to produce the selecteddesign torque, rpm and volt, amp ratios at an optimum or thresholdefficiency. Once these key components are selected and placed in themotor or generator they, under the present state of the art, cannot bechanged. Only the power and speed of the driving force in a generatorand the volts and amperage of the electricity into the motor can bechanged. But when this same motor or generator is put in service wherethe speed and torque vary widely such as in land vehicles and/or wind orwater powered generators, the back EMF of the fixed magnets must stillbe overcome when the speed and torque requirements are less than themaximum designed for and the stator wiring sufficient and appropriatelysized when the speed and torque are greater than the maximum designedfor. When they are not, the overall efficiency of the motor or generatordramatically drops in many cases to as low as 20% for say rapid transitvehicles, automobiles, or wind/water powered generators, and the like.

The present disclosure is directed to an electric generator and/or motortransmission system that is capable of operating with high efficiencywide volt and amperage operating range and extremely variable torque andRPM conditions. This disclosure utilizes the variability of renewableresources such as inconsistent wind speed, untimely ocean wave movementor braking energy in a hybrid vehicle and more efficiently increases thegenerating potential that conventional generators cannot do. On themotor side, the disclosure produces a variable range of torque/RPMpossibility to more efficiently meet the requirements of hybridvehicles. The system can dynamically change the output “size” of themotor/generator, e.g., by varying the magnetic field induced in thestator by switching multiple non-twisted parallel coil wires in thestator between being connected in all series, all parallel orcombinations thereof and correspondingly varying, adjusting or focusingthe magnetic field of the permanent magnets acting on the stator andmodularly engaging and disengaging rotor/stator sets as power demandsincrease or decrease. And as torque/RPM or amperage/voltage requirementschange, the system can activate one stator or another (in multiple MGTunits connected to a common computer processor) within the rotor/statorsets and change from parallel to series winding or the reverse throughsets of 2, 4, 6 or more parallel, three-phase, non-twisted coil windingsto meet the torque/RPM or amperage/voltage requirements to improve(e.g., optimize or nearly optimize) efficiency.

As previously discussed herein, the state of the art in permanent magnetelectric motors and generators is that the magnetic field of a rotor isnot adjustable but fixed. While it is true that the magnetic field of apermanent magnet is fixed, it is the alternating flow of magnetic fluxbetween the permanent magnets of the rotor and the cores of the statorand the alternating flow of electricity in the wires of the stator corethat determine how a permanent magnet motor or generator will operate.Where there is a small amount of magnetic flux flowing between the rotormagnets and the stator core, it is as if the rotor of themotor/generator was fitted with small or lower strength permanentmagnets. If the amount of flux flowing between the rotor magnets and thestator core is large, the reverse is true. When small permanent magnetsare used in the rotor of a motor, the wires in the stator core coils areappropriately sized with the requisite number of turns to produce amagnetic field in the stator teeth (or cores) that will efficientlyreact with the magnetic field of the rotor magnets to produce theoptimum (or nearly optimum) flux flow or interaction between them andoptimum (or nearly optimum) torque or rpm. In the case of a generator,the wires are sized with the requisite number of turns to efficientlyaccommodate the electricity generated by the alternating flux induced inthe stator cores by the permanent magnets on the rotating rotor and willin many cases be different from the wires of the motor even when thepermanent magnets are the same size. When large permanent magnets areused in the rotor, the same is true in that the wires of the stator corein both the motor and generator are appropriately sized with therequisite number of turns. The wires and number of amp turns, however,in the large permanent magnet motor is different from the wires andnumber of turns in the small permanent magnet motor/generator, and theoutput size of the two motor/generators is dynamically different.

A motor/generator/transmission (MGT) system is disclosed that has anoutput that can be dynamically changed with more efficient performanceover a predefined range than previously possible under the current stateof the art. The alternating flux of the permanent magnets flowing fromthe rotor magnets to the stator cores or interacting with the statorcores can be varied or adjusted with several different techniques, forexample: (1) by varying the alignment of the rotor magnets with thestator cores where the radial flux from the rotor magnets is partially,in varying degrees, engaged with the stator cores; (2) utilizing tworotors, one on either side of the center plane of the stator, where thealternating north and south magnetic poles circumscribing the rotors arein the same radial position relative to one another, the distance fromthe center plane of the stator to the center planes of the rotors can bevaried, the polar magnetic fields from the magnets on the two rotorsoppose one another, where the combined polar magnetic field between thetwo rotors is deflected, twisted or focused in the radial directioncreating a greater flux field or flow in the radial direction into thestator cores than would be available from the sum of the fields of thetwo rotors and their respective magnets acting alone - this field isadjusted by moving the rotors closer to each other and to the centerplane of the stator, or by moving the rotors further away; and (3) acombination of techniques (1) and (2) acting together on the samestator. Utilizing any of these techniques to adjust the flow of themagnetic flux between the stator and the rotor has a same or similareffect to being able to change the size of the permanent magnets of theMGT system at any time during its operation.

Changing the wiring and number of turns to modify the flux of a statorcore and the electricity flowing in a core coil wires is not as easy toadjust or vary as the flux flowing from the rotor permanent magnets.However, this disclosure provides a number of methods and configurationsto achieve distinctly different volt/amp characteristics in the statorcore coils, where each stator core can be configured for an optimized(or nearly optimized) flux flow between the rotor(s) and the stator byadjusting the polar magnetic flux from the rotor acting on the stator toimprove efficiency. This can be accomplished by separating themulti-phase stator wiring at a center tap and providing multiplenon-twisted parallel wires in the core windings for each phase leg (andin some cases with wires of different size) with the ability to switchand connect the multiple wires in all series, all parallel, andcombinations of parallel and series configurations. In someimplementations, one or more wires may be disconnected to provideadditional configurations (e.g., dropping from a six wire system to afour wire system, or the like). In some implementations, the phasewindings are also switchable from a star or wye (Y) configuration to adelta (e.g., triangle) configuration. In some implementations, thesystem can provide two separate multi-phase wiring configurations withseparate controllers on the same stator, and in some implementationsseparating the coils in each phase leg (including the multiple wirestherein) so that any of the stator phases in either separate multi-phaseconfiguration can be switched (e.g., using electronic switches) to beconnected in series, in parallel, or in combinations thereof, in eitherthe star (Y) or Delta configuration.

In embodiments, the MGT system can also be adjusted by joining togethermultiple modular MGT units (e.g., each having respective stator(s) androtor(s)) to vary the overall system output. For example, the MGT unitscan be joined together under common control from a central processorwhere they may operate together for increased power or at least one canoperate while another is in neutral. The MGT units may also beconfigured to shift back and forth between the different series,parallel, or combination (i.e., series and parallel) wiring andswitching combinations to provide smooth transitions between the variouscombinations. The MGT units can also be shifted back and forth betweenDelta or Star phase configurations with series/parallel switching of themultiple wires in each phase.

In embodiments of this disclosure, any single MGT unit may have any orall of the combinations of multiple wiring and switching describedherein, including switching between Delta and WYE configurations,multiple wire windings in series or parallel or in sets of two or morewires in parallel connected to each other in series, and where the MGTunit/system is multi-pole, the individual coils of a phase winding maybe connected in series or parallel or in sets of two or more coils inparallel connected to each other in series, providing a wide range ofvolt/amp and torque speed ratios in a single motor/generator that iselectronically reconfigurable to meet widely varying conditions. Thisfeature coupled with mechanical shifting of the rotor magnetic fieldbetween the first stator, the second stator or more stators in one ormore MGT units (e.g., being able to control no engagement of any statorand/or the partial engagement of one or any combination of two stators)and the ability to focus the magnetic field of the rotor or rotors onthe stator cores provides an ability through a computer system processorto select and quickly change the winding configuration of the stator tomeet widely variable speed and torque requirements that may be placed onthe MGT unit/system at optimum (or near optimum or otherwise selected)energy efficiency. The ability to have the magnetic field of the rotorengaged with a first stator in a first wiring configuration, switchingthe second stator to a second wiring configuration and thentransitioning the magnetic field of the rotor from the first stator tothe second stator provides for a smooth transfer of power between thetorque/speed of the first setting and the torque/speed of the secondsetting and further allows the computer system by fine tuning the degreeof engagement between the rotor magnets and the stator coils to adjust,increase or diminish, the strength of the magnetic field between therotor magnets and the stator to optimize the power efficiency of the MGTunit/system at most any desired speed and torque. The same smoothtransition of power applies when both stators are engaged with themagnetic field of the rotor and the stators are switched from one wiringconfiguration to another by switching the first stator and then thesecond stator and in the interval between the switching, the engagementof the magnetic field with one or both stators is adjusted toaccommodate a smooth transition between the two wiring configurationsand improve the power efficiency of the MGT unit/system.

This disclosure also provides systems and methods for adjusting themagnetic field of the permanent magnet rotor in an electric motor orgenerator. It does so by adjusting or focusing the magnetic field actingon the stator cores to meet the torque speed requirements of the motoror generator at any given time. By reducing or increasing the magneticfield acting on the stator core, the MGT system in turn reduces orincreases the back EMF and requires lower or higher voltage and amperage(power) to run the motor, or varies torque (e.g., wind speed) needed toturn a generator, thereby allowing the motor/generator employing the MGTsystem to adjust the back EMF to meet varying conditions and operate themotor/generator at greater efficiency over much wider ranges than everbefore possible. With these capabilities the MGT system can control thestrength of the interaction of the magnetic fields of both the rotor(s)and the stator over a relatively uniform range of variable powerrequirements with high efficiency. The efficiency of any electric motoris dependent on the balance between the electromagnetic field of thestator and the electromagnetic field of the rotor interacting with thestator. The state of the art inverter/controller in the MGT unit canregulate the voltage coming from the batteries or other electricalsource which in turn regulates the amperage in the stator coil wireswithin the capacity of the wires and voltage source. The MGT unit canswitch between different wiring combinations with a different resistancein each creating a different range of amperage turns in each wiringcombination as the inverter/controller through the computer processorincreases the voltage in each wiring configuration from low to high. Thedifferent wiring configurations are then configured, combined, andcoordinated with the voltage regulation so that the overall range of theamperage flowing in the stator coils can be uniformly regulated(increased or decreased) over a greatly extended range as the computerprocessor switches the wiring from one configuration to the nextcorrespondingly changing the value of the amp turns in the stator coilsand the resulting magnetic field strength. With the MGT units ability tofocus or control the magnetic field of the rotor magnets interactingwith the stator coils over a much larger range from low to high by themovement of the rotor or rotors with respect to the stator, the computerprocess may be configured make the position of the rotor with respect tothe stator a function of the amp turns in the stator coils so that therotor is positioned to provide the optimum efficiency or balance betweenthe magnetic fields of the stator coils and the rotor permanent magnets.

A linear motor/generator/transmission (LMGT) system configured toactively vary and focus the magnetic field from its permanent magnets isalso disclosed. In embodiments, the LMGT system includes a guideway withrails or other linear motion guiding mechanism and a plurality of statorcores and coils evenly disposed along the length and in the center ofthe guideway. Each phase of the plurality of stator coils includes, insets of three or more coils, a respective set of parallel non-twistedwires with electronic switches for connecting the parallel non-twistedwires of each phase of the three or more stator coils all in series, allin parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel. The LMGT systemalso includes carriage that can travel along the guideway with wheels orother linear motion device and at least two or more magnet holding bars(also referred to herein as “magnet bars”) with alternating pole magnetsmounted thereon. Each successive magnet, if more than one, on eachmagnet bar is mounted in front of the other in the direction of thecarriage travel where the two or more magnet bars are slidably mountedto the carriage, parallel to and on either side of the longitudinalcenterline of the carriage such that when adjacent to the center lineand each other they are positioned over the stator coils and may beslide ably translated away from the center line of the carriage to aposition where they are not over the stator coils.

Example Implementations - MGT Including Selectively Moveable Stator(s)

Referring generally to FIGS. 1 through 6 , MGT units and systems aredescribed in accordance with some embodiments of this disclosure. FIG. 1shows an MGT unit 300, which in some embodiments can be connected to oneor more additional MGT units 300 to form a larger MGT system. As shownin FIGS. 2 through 6 , the MGT unit 300 includes a rotor 314 that isrotatably coupled to an axle 308. The rotor 314 and the axle 308 towhich the rotor is fixed have an axis of rotation 306, where the axle308 extends longitudinally in a first direction along the axis ofrotation 306. The MGT unit 300 also includes stator cage 302 that alsoextends longitudinally in the first direction and includes one or morestator rings (e.g., a first stator ring 310, a second stator ring 312,and possibly a third stator ring, a fourth stator ring, and so on),where each of the stator rings includes a plurality of stator cores withtheir respective coils/windings disposed about a periphery of the statorring. In embodiments of the disclosure, the stator rings are spacedapart from one another in the first direction. The rotor 304 includes atleast one rotor ring 314 with permanent magnets disposed about theperiphery of the rotor ring 314. The rotor ring 314 can be coupled withthe axle 308.

In embodiments of the disclosure, the stator ring 310 and the statorring 312 are actuatable between three or more positions. The stator ring310 and the stator ring 312 can be contained within stator cage 302 orcoupled to any other support structure that is moveable by an actuator.The stator ring 310 and the stator ring 312 may each have differentcores and/or winding configurations so that operating characteristics ofan MGT unit 300 can be changed when the stator ring 310 and the statorring 312 translate between a first stator position where the stator ring312 is engaged with the rotor ring 314; a second stator position wherethe stator ring 310 is engaged with the rotor ring 314; and a thirdposition where neither the stator ring 310 nor the stator ring 312 isengaged with the rotor ring 314. It should be noted that the order ofstator positions is provided by way of example and is not meant to limitthe present disclosure. In other embodiments, a neutral stator positioncan be positioned between two stators. A neutral stator position canalso be at a different end of the MGT unit 300. Further, an MGT unit 300can include more than one neutral position and so forth. In embodimentsof the disclosure, the magnets of the rotor ring 314 can be equallyspaced on the periphery of the rotor ring 314, where the outerperipheral surface of the magnets is at a defined minimal distance(e.g., gap) from the inner peripheral surface of the stator ring 310/312core surface, causing electricity to flow in the stator windings as therotor ring 314 rotates if acting as a generator, or causing the rotorring 314 to rotate if electric current is supplied to the statorwindings from an external source.

The stator rings 310 and 312 and be identical, reconfigurable, and/ordifferently structured. For example, the stator rings 310 and 312 canemploy different stator windings or selectively reconfigurable statorwindings (e.g., as described herein) to provide different power, torque,amperage, and/or voltage capacities and efficiencies. In someembodiments, a computer system can be used to send commands to theactuators of the stator rings to move them in and out of statorpositions to achieve enhanced efficiency under widely varying input andoutput conditions, such as wind powered generators, motors for citybusses, and so forth. In embodiments, an actuator 322 (e.g., a steppermotor, linear actuator, or the like) can be directly or indirectlycoupled with the stator ring 310 and the stator ring 312. In someembodiments, the actuator 322 can include an arm configured to drive thestator cage 302 containing the stator ring 310 and the stator ring 312,thereby causing stator ring 310 and the stator ring 312 to move relativeto the rotor ring 314 to a desired position.

In embodiments of the disclosure, multiple MGT units 300 can beconnected together (e.g., end-to-end as described with reference to FIG.1 ). For example, the axle 308 can be configured as a modular shaft, andmultiple modular shafts can be connected together to form, for instance,a common axle. In some embodiments, each MGT unit 300 can include one ormore endplates 316, which can include bearings (e.g., rotary bearings).In some embodiments, the axles 308 of two or more MGT units 300 can beconnected together to allow additional MGT units 300 to be added inline(e.g., under a common control system to form larger and more powerfulunits with variable torque and/or power capabilities). The axle 308 of afirst MGT units 300 can include a male end 318 configured to extend intoa receiving cavity of an endplate 316 of an adj acently positionedsecond MGT units 300, whereby the male end 318 can connect to a femaleend 320 of an axle 308 of a second MGT unit 300.

Example Implementations - MGT Including Selectively Moveable Rotor(s)

Referring generally to FIGS. 16 through 24 , MGT units 400 and systemsare described in accordance with additional embodiments of thisdisclosure. FIGS. 16 through 24 shows an embodiment of an MGT unit400/system that employs variable torque magnetic focusing. For example,an MGT unit 400 can be configured to focus and regulate the interactionof the magnetic flux between rotor rings 444 and at least one statorring 439. To do this, the MGT unit 400 employs at least two rotors, onelocated on either side of a center plane of the stator ring 439, suchthat they can each be translated towards the center plane of the statoror away from it. As the rotor rings 444 are translated from theirfurthest point from the center plane of the stator, towards the centerplane of the stator the interaction of the magnetic flux between therotor rings 444 and the stator ring 439 increases, thereby allowing themagnetic flux to be focused (e.g., adjusted) so that the magneticinteraction between the rotor rings 444 and the stator ring 439 can becontrolled to optimize or improve system efficiency.

In an example implementation, the rotor rings 444 can be translatedbetween at least the following positions: (1) a first position where theinside edges of the rotor rings 444 are approximately one rotor lengthor more (length of the permanent magnets 443 in the axial direction)from the outside edge of the stator ring 439 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 22); (2) a second position where the inside edges of the rotor rings 444are in line with the outside edges of the stator ring 439 (e.g., asshown in FIG. 23 ); and a third position where the inside edges of therotor rings 444 are in line with the center plane of the stator ring 439(e.g., as shown in FIG. 24 ). In the first position (1), there isminimal or no interaction of the magnetic flux between the rotor rings444 and stator ring 439 and no or minimal flow of electricity in thestator wires when the rotor is turned by outside forces. This can beconsidered as a neutral position for the MGT unit 400. As the rotorrings 444 are translated from the first position (1) to the secondposition (2), the polar magnetic fields of the permanent magnets 443 onthe rotor rings 444 begin to oppose one another and deflect or focus inthe radial direction towards the stator cores creating a greaterinteraction or magnetic flux flow between the rotor magnets 443 and thestator cores than the sum of the two rotors and their respective magnets443 would produce from the same position alone and, where theinteraction of the magnetic field from the rotor rings 444 to the statorring 439 increase exponentially as the rotor rings 444 are moved fromthe first position (1) to second position (2) but is of low value butsufficient as a generator to provide low or trickle power to rechargethe batteries over time in a hybrid vehicle operating under combustionpower with no or minimal additional drag on or additional power requiredfrom a combustion engine. As the rotor rings 444 are translated from thesecond position (2) to the third position (3) the interaction of themagnetic field or flux flow from the rotor rings 444 to the stator ring439 increases linearly to the maximum interaction or flux flow betweenthe rotor magnets 443 and the stator cores as does the power generatedwhen acting as either a generator or motor.

Referring generally to FIGS. 16 through 24 , the MGT unit 400 may have ahousing including a cover 430, a front end plate 420, a rear end plate420, and an end plate cover 422. As shown in FIG. 19 , the front endplate 420 and the end plate cover 422 provide an enclosure for a motorcontrol box 424 that can include linear actuator stepper motors 432 and462 and wiring connections (not shown). The MGT unit 400 can include anaxle 410 with a fluted male connecting end and a fluted femaleconnecting end and bolting connections for joining the MGT unit 400 withother MGT units 400. The connecting end may be of any style that allowstwo or more MGT units 400 to be physically mated whereby their axles 410are joined and turn as one common axle. An end plate 420 may also acceptan adaptor plate in compliance with industry standards for joining othermanufactured equipment including automotive engines and transmissions.The front and rear end plates 420 of two or more MGT units 400 may bebolted together to ensure the physical continuity of any number ofmodules.

The rear end plate 420 may be of any style that allows another MGT unit400 to be mated to it, whereby their axles 410 are joined and turn asone common axle. The rear end plate 420 provides a housing for a flutedfemale end of the axle 410 and bolting connections for joining it toother MGT units 400. The rear end plate may also accept an adaptor platein compliance with industry standards for joining other manufacturedequipment including automotive engines and transmissions. The front andrear end plates of two or more MGT units may be bolted together toensure the physical continuity of any number of modules.

The rotor rings 444 can be slidably coupled to a rotor support structure446 that is coupled to the axle 410. The rotor support structure 446 caninclude two end disks 448 spaced apart and affixed perpendicular to theaxle 410 through their center points, a plurality of (e.g., three ormore) linear slide rods 447 parallel to the axle 410, radially outwardof the axle 410 and equally spaced around the axle 410, affixed on eachend to an end disk 448. The rotor support structure 446 rotates with theaxle 410. In one implementation, the forward end disk 448 is affixed tothe axle 410 near the end plate 420, and the rear end disk 448 includesthree or more holes through the rear disk in the axial direction outwardfrom the axle 410 and equally spaced around the axle 410 with bushingsor linear bearings (not shown) to allow the passage and free movement ofthe rotor push rods in the axial direction through the rear end disk 448but maintain their radial position relative to the axle 410.

A rotor pusher/puller 471 can include a pushing disk 472 spaced apartand rearward of the rear rotor ring 444 and rear rotor support end disk448. The pushing disk 472 is slidably affixed to the axle 410 throughits center point by means of a bushing or linear bearing (not shown) toallow translation of the pushing disk 472 in the axial direction. Therotor pusher/puller 471 also includes a plurality of (e.g., three ormore) linear slide rods 475 spaced and outward from the axle 410,equally spaced around the axle 410 passing through the bushings orlinear bearings in the rotor support rear end disk 448 and affixed tothe rear rotor.

A translator bar 467 can comprise a flat bar with a hole in the centerof the bar perpendicular to the flat face of the bar. The translator bar467 extends in both directions away from the center hole (a holeslightly larger in diameter than the MGT axle 410 diameter, where theaxle 410 may pass through the hole in the translator bar 467perpendicular to the bar and where the bar is affixed to the rear faceof the pushing disk 472 by thrust bearings and is affixed on each end tothe rotor linear actuator screw bars 465. The linear actuator screw bars465 are mounted parallel to the axle 410 outward of the rotor rings 444,rotor support structure end plates 420 and the stator, and they extendthrough threaded holes in each end of the translator bar 467 so that asthe rotor support structure 446 and the rotor pusher/puller 471 rotatewith the axle 410 -the translator bar 467 does not necessarily but maymove or translate in the axial direction when the linear actuator screwbars 465 are turned clockwise or counter clockwise. Thus, as thetranslator bar 467 is moved in the axial direction the rotorpusher/puller 471 is moved in the same direction as is the rear rotorring 444.

The MGT unit 400 also includes rotor linear actuators 461 that receivecommands from the computer system to activate and turn the two or morethreaded rotor linear actuator screw bars 465 which extend through thethreaded holes in the translator bar 467 causing the translator bar 467to move back and forth in the axial direction as the screw bars 465 areturned. The threaded rotor linear actuator screw bars 465 are parallelto the axle 410 and outward of the rotor rings 444, stator ring 439,rotor pusher/puller 471, and rotor support structure 446 and arerotationally affixed to the MGT end plates 420 extending through thefront end plate 420 where the stepper motors 462 are attached either asa direct drive with one stepper motor each or a single stepper motor andchain or belt drive to each. The connection between the translator bar467 and the actuator screw bars 465 may be a conventional male threadedscrew bar and female threaded holes in the translator bar 467 or aconventional ball screw arrangement.

A stator support structure 440 can include two or more linear slide bars442 equally spaced around the axle 410, parallel to it, outward of therotor, stator, rotor pusher/puller 471 and rotor support structure 446.The stator support structure 440 extends between the front and rear endplates 420. Linear bearing blocks 438 can be slidably affixed to thestator support structure 440 to translate in both directions between theend plates 420, where the linear bearing blocks 438 are in turn affixedto the stator ring 439 holding the stator ring 439 in a position whereits central axis is coaxial with the axis of the MGT axle 410, and thecircumferential face of its stator cores is separated from thecircumferential rotor magnet face by a small air gap.

The MGT unit 400 can also include stator linear actuators 431 (e.g.,stepper motors 432) that receiving commands from the computer system toactivate and turn the two or more threaded stator linear actuator screwbars 435. The threaded stator linear actuator screw bars 435 areparallel to the axle 410 and outward of the rotor rings 444, stator ring439, rotor pusher/puller 471 and rotor support structure 446 and arerotationally affixed to the MGT end plates 420 extending through thefront end plate 420, where the stepper motors 432 are attached either asa direct drive with one stepper motor each or a single stepper motor andchain or belt drive to each. Linear screw or ball screw bearing blocks437 are affixed to each screw bar 435 to translate back and forth in theaxial direction as the screw is turned by the stepper motor 432 whichare in turn affixed to the stator ring 439 causing it to be positionedin a defined spot relative to the rotor rings 444 based on commands fromthe computer system.

In embodiments, the stator ring 439 can comprise laminated iron platerings stacked together in the axial direction with slots through theplates forming teeth (cores) on the inner surface of the stator ring 439such that when stacked together wires may be inserted in the slots thatrun the length of the stator in the axial direction parallel to the MGTaxle 410 (e.g., in a manner consistent with normal industry practice forthe state of the art of stators for electric motors). Wires are placedin the slots by winding the wire around one or more teeth (cores) toform a coil 441 and a successive series of coils 441 evenly spacedaround the periphery of the stator ring 439, e.g., in a mannerconsistent with normal industry practice for the state of the art forthe wiring of multi-phase electric motor stators except that the wiresof each coil 441 phase leg include two or more non-twisted wiresparallel to each other and separated at the center tap in a switchingsystem that can place the multiple wires all in series, all in parallel,or a combination of series and parallel to achieve a number of differentwiring configurations that depends on the number of wires. The switchingsystem can also be configured to place the phase wiring in the star/wye(“Y”) or Delta wiring configurations where the voltage amperage andfrequency of the power to the coils 441 is controlled according tocommands by the computer system. Example implementations of variousstator winding configurations are further discussed herein. Any of thestator winding and switching system implementations can be applied toany embodiment of an MGT unit 400 described herein.

The rotor rings 444 include permanent magnets 443, which may be evenlyspaced around the periphery of an iron disk or disks. The rotor rings444 are affixed to the linear slide rods 447 of the rotor supportstructure 446 and at least one of the rotor rings 444 is slidablyaffixed to the linear slide rods 447 running through bushings or linearbearings in the rotor disk securing the rotor rings 444 so that theiraxis of rotation is collinear with the axle 410 axis of rotation. Whenthe rotor rings 444 are positioned beneath the stator ring 439, theouter surfaces of the rotor rings 444 are separated from the innersurface of the stator ring 439 by a small air gap. The slidably affixedrotor rings 444 may be moved in the axial direction based on commandsfrom the computer system to the rotor linear actuator 461 to bepositioned in a defined spot relative to the stator ring 439.

As previously discussed herein, FIGS. 22 through 24 show examplepositioning of the rotor rings 444 relative to the stator ring 439. Forexample, FIG. 22 shows the rotor rings 444 positioned by the linearactuators on either side of the stator ring 439 (approximately one rotorlength in the axial direction apart from the edge of the stator ring439) where the interaction of the flux between the rotor magnets 443 andthe stator windings is a very low (e.g., negligible or nonexistent) andthe MGT unit 400 is effectively in a neutral position.

FIG. 23 shows the rotor rings 444 positioned on either side of thestator ring 439 where the outer edges of the stator ring 439 and theinner edges of the rotor rings 444 are in near alignment. In thispositioning, the interaction of the flux between the rotor magnets 443and the stator windings is low, as is the force to turn the rotor rings444. If the MGT unit 400 is employed in a generator, this makes itfeasible, e.g., in hybrid vehicles, to generate recharge power to thebatteries while the vehicle is being operated under combustion power andto do so with no or minimal additional power from the combustion engine,operating essentially on waste inertial power from the moving vehicle.As the rotor rings 444 are moved from the neutral position to the edgeof stator alignment, the voltage generated when operating as a generatorat constant RPM increases exponentially from zero or near zero to thelow value achieved when the inner edges of the rotor rings 444 arealigned with the outer edges of the stator ring 439.

FIG. 24 shows the rotor rings 444 brought together within orsubstantially within coverage of the stator ring 439, e.g., with theirinner edges centered on the center plane of the stator ring 439. In thispositioning, the interaction of the flux between the rotor magnets 443and the stator windings may be at its maximum and the voltage generatedwhen operating as a generator can also be at its maximum. At any pointbetween where the inner edges of the rotor rings 444 are at the outeredges of the stator ring 439 and where the inner edges of the rotorrings 444 is at the center plane of the stator ring 439, the voltagegenerated is proportional to the distance of the inner rotor ring edgesfrom the outer stator ring edges to the center plane of the stator ring439, which may be the maximum value.

It is noted that while three distinct positions for the rotor rings 444relative to the stator ring 439 are described herein, the rotor rings444 and optionally the stator ring 439 can be repositioned at any numberof positions allowed by the components (e.g., slide bars, translatorbar, actuators, etc.) of the MGT unit 400. In this regard, the MGT unit400 can be magnetically focused with a high degree of precision tooptimize overall system efficiency, whether employed as a motor or agenerator.

FIGS. 25 through 36 show another embodiment of an MGT unit 500/systemthat employs variable torque magnetic focusing. The difference betweenthe embodiment shown in FIGS. 25 through 36 and the embodiment shown inFIGS. 16 through 24 lies in the method and manner of translating therotor rings 544 and possibly the stator ring 539 to reconfigure thecomponents to positions 1, 2 and 3 (described above) and any positionsin between. It is further contemplated that additional methods ofrepositioning the rotor rings 544 and possibly the stator ring 539 canbe employed without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

FIG. 25 shows an embodiment of the MGT unit 500 having a housingincluding a cover 530 and end plates 520 (e.g., similar to those of theMGT unit 400 of FIGS. 16 through 24 ). FIGS. 26 and 27 show the MGT unit500 with the cover 530 removed and the stator ring 539 with itsrespective stator windings (coils 541) wrapped around its stator cores.The stator ring 539 can be supported by a stator support structure 540comprising plurality of (e.g., three or more) stator support bars 542that can be evenly spaced around the periphery of the stator ring 539extending between the two end plates 520, affixed to the end plates 520and the stator ring 539 to hold the stator in a fixed position, whichmay be near the center of MGT unit 500 with its center planeperpendicular to the axis of the axle 510, coincident with the centerplane of the rotor support structure 546 with its central axis collinearwith the central axis of the axle 510.

FIGS. 28 through 31 show various views of the sliding rotor supportstructure 546 with the rotor support structure 546 affixed to the axle510 with a plurality of (e.g., three or more linear slide rods 547) thatcan be evenly spaced around the periphery of the rotor support structure546 running through the inside edge of the rotor support structure 546parallel to the axle 510, rigidly affixed to the rotor support structure546 at equal distance from the central axis of the axle 510 with sliderod end plate rings 548 affixed to the ends of the linear slide rods547. The two rotor rings 544 are slidably affixed to the linear sliderods 547 by bushings or linear bearings (not shown) in the rotor rings544 allowing movement of the rotor rings 544 in the axial directiontowards or away from each other between the center plane of the rotorsupport structure 546 and the slide rod end plates 520. Permanentmagnets 543 are mounted around the periphery of each rotor ring 544,evenly spaced with alternating north and south poles facing radiallyoutward. The outer circumferential face of the rotor magnets 543 can bea constant distance from the central axis of the axle 510, providing asmall air gap between the circumferential face of the rotor magnets 543and the inner circumferential face of the stator ring 539 when thecenter plane of the stator (perpendicular to the rotor axle 510) and theinside edges of the rotor rings 544 are coplanar. The north and southpoles of the rotor magnets 543 on each rotor are affixed in the sameradial position around the periphery of each rotor ring 544 such thatwhen the rotor rings 544 are translated together the north pole magnets543 on the first rotor ring 544 are in the same radial position as thenorth pole magnets 543 on the second rotor ring 544, directly opposingone another.

FIGS. 32 through 36 show an embodiment of the rotor linear actuator 550.In this embodiment there is one rotor linear actuator 550 for each rotorring 544. In other embodiments there may be only one rotor linearactuator for both rotor rings 544 or there may be at least one linearactuator for the rotor rings 544 and at least one for the stator ring539. The rotor linear actuator 550 can include a stepper motor 552, adrive belt 553, a drive gear 554, two sets of planetary gears 556, ascrew actuator 551, and a planetary gear housing 555. The screw actuator551 is a hollow pipe threaded on its exterior surface for most of itslength. The screw actuator 551 fits around the axle 510 which runsthrough it, extending outwardly from the rotor support structure 546.The screw actuator 551 is rotationally affixed to the axle 510 bybushings or rotary bearings (not shown) on each end. The screw actuator551 threads mate on the end facing the rotor support structure 546 withmatching threads in a hole in the center of the rotor ring 544 such thatas the screw actuator 551 is turned relative to the axle 510 the rotorring 544 will translate in the axial direction in either directiondepending on whether the screw actuator 551 is turned clockwise orcounter clock wise. The screw actuator 551 is affixed on the end awayfrom the rotor support structure 546 to the sun gear of the inner set ofplanetary gears 558 closest to the rotor support structure 546. Thescrew actuator 551 and the first sun gear generally rotate with the axle510 turning the planetary gears which have common axles 510 with theplanetary gears on the outer set of planetary gears 557 whose sun gearis affixed to the rotor shaft and whose ring gear is affixed to theplanetary gear housing which in turn is affixed to the end plate 520.When the stepper motor 552 is activated by command from the computersystem, the drive belt 553 turns the ring gear on planetary set 556causing the screw actuator 551 to turn relative to the axis of the axle510, causing the rotor ring 544 to translate between positions 1, 2, and3 previously described herein (and any other positions) as selected bythe computer system based on sensor information and/or commands receivedthrough a user interface.

Example Implementations - Variable Stator Winding Configurations

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 14 , a stator configuration (e.g., forany of the stator rings described herein) can comprise a separatedcenter 3-phase wiring (e.g., as shown in FIG. 7 ). The 3-phase stator’scenter connections 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c are configured to link three phases(e.g., phases 1, 2, and 3) to one point when coupled together. The liveend of phase 1 is illustrated as A1, the live end of phase 2 isillustrated as B1, and the live end of phase 3 is illustrated as C1. Asshown in FIG. 7 , the phases can be separated such that the centerconnections 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c are to be selectively connected (e.g.,ends 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c can be connected together or connected to other3-phase windings).

In some embodiments, a separated center 3-phase wiring including a2-wire configuration (e.g., as shown in FIG. 8 ). Phase 1, phase 2 andphase 3 for each of the two windings have separated center connections(e.g., center connections 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c for a first winding andcenter connections 2 a, 2 b and 2 c for a second winding). The live endof phase 1 is illustrated as A1 and A2 for each of the first and secondwindings, respectively. The live end of phase 2 is illustrated as B1 andB2 for each of the first and second windings, respectively. The live endof phase 3 is illustrated as C1 and C2 for each of the first and secondwindings, respectively. In this 2-wire scenario the winding A1 and A2are in parallel around the iron cores and end in the central connections1 a and 2 a likewise are B1 with B2, central connection 1 b with 2 blikewise are C1 with C2, central connection 1 c with 2 c.

In the 2-wire configuration there are parallel (Gear #4) and series(Gear #1) modes available. The individual winding sections whileoperating in parallel mode (Gear #4) can include connecting A1 to A2, B1to B2, C1 to C2, and the central connections 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 2 a, 2 b and2 c can be connected together. The individual winding sections whileoperating in series mode (Gear #1) can include connecting 1 a to A2, 1 bto B2, 1 c to C2, and the central connections 2 a, 2 b and 2 c can beconnected together. In this configuration, each active winding sectioncarries half the voltage of the parallel mode (Gear #4) and ¼ of thecurrent found in the parallel mode configuration when serving as agenerator under constant power.

In another embodiment, a stator configuration can comprise a separatedcenter 3-phase wiring including a 4-wire configuration (e.g., as shownin FIG. 9 ). Phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3 for each of the four windingscan have separated center connections (e.g., center connections 1 a, 1b, and 1 c for a first winding, center connections 2 a, 2 b and 2 c fora second winding, center connections 3 a, 3 b, and 3 c for a thirdwinding, and center connections 4 a, 4 b and 4 c for a fourth winding).The live end of phase 1 is illustrated as A1, A2, A3 and A4 for each ofthe first, second, third, and fourth windings, respectively. The liveend of phase 2 is illustrated as B1, B2, B3 and B4 for each of thefirst, second, third, and fourth windings, respectively. The live end ofphase 3 is illustrated as C1, C2, C3 and C4 for each of the first,second, third, and fourth windings, respectively. In this 4-wirescenario the windings A1, A2, A3 and A4 are in parallel around the ironcores and end in the central connections 1 a, 2 a, 3 a and 4 a, likewiseare B1, B2, B3 with B4 ending in central connections 1 b, 2 b, 3 b with4 b, and likewise are C1, C2, C3 with C4 ending with central connection1 c, 2 c, 3 c with 4 c.

In the 4-wire configuration there are parallel (Gear #4),parallel/series (Gear #2), and series (Gear #1) modes available. Theindividual winding sections while operating in parallel mode (Gear #4)can include connecting A1, A2 and A3 to A4; B1, B2 and B3 to B4; C1, C2and C3 to C4, and the central connections 1 a, 2 a, 3 a, 4 a, 1 b, 2 b,3 b, 4 b, 1 c, 2 c, 3 c and 4 c can be connected together. Theindividual winding sections while operating in series/parallel mode(Gear #2) can include connecting A1 to A2; 1 a, 2 a, A3 and A4; B1 toB2; 1 b, 2 b, B3 and B4; C1 to C2; 1 c, 2 c, C3 and C4; 3 a, 4 a, 3 b, 4b, 3 c and 4 c. In this configuration (Gear #2), each active windingsection carries half the voltage of the parallel mode (Gear #4) and¼^(th) of the current found in the parallel mode (Gear #4)configuration. The individual winding sections while operating in seriesmode (Gear #1) can include connecting 1 a to A2, 2 a to A3, 3 a to A4, 1b to B2, 2 b to B3, 3 b to B4, 1 c to C2, 2 c to C3, 3 c to C4, and 4 a,4 b and 4 c together. In this configuration (Gear #1), each activewinding section carries one fourth the voltage of the parallel mode(Gear #4) and ⅛^(th) of the current found in the parallel modeconfiguration when serving as a generator under constant power.

In another embodiment, the stator configuration includes a separatedcenter 3-phase wiring including a 6-wire configuration (e.g., as shownin FIG. 10 ). Phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3 for each of the six windingscan have separated center connections (e.g., center connections 1 a, 1b, and 1 c for a first winding, center connections 2 a, 2 b and 2 c fora second winding, center connections 3 a, 3 b, and 3 c for a thirdwinding, center connections 4 a, 4 b and 4 c for a fourth winding,center connections 5 a, 5 b, and 5 c for a fifth winding, and centerconnections 6 a, 6 b and 6 c for a sixth winding). The live end of phase1 is illustrated as A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6 for each of the first,second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth windings, respectively. The liveend of phase 2 is illustrated as B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6 for each ofthe first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth windings,respectively. The live end of phase 3 is illustrated as C1, C2, C3, C4,C5 and C6 for each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixthwindings, respectively. In this 6-wire scenario the winding A1, A2, A3,A4, A5 and A6 are in parallel around the iron cores and end in thecentral connections 1 a, 2 a, 3 a, 4 a, 5 a and 6 a, likewise are B1,B2, B3, B4, B5 with B6 ending in central connections 1 b, 2 b, 3 b, 4 b,5 b with 6 b, and likewise are C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 with C6 ending withcentral connection 1 c, 2 c, 3 c, 4 c, 5 c with 6 c.

In the 6-wire configuration there are parallel (Gear #4), firstparallel/series (Gear #3), second parallel/series (Gear #2), and series(Gear #1) modes available. The individual winding sections whileoperating in parallel mode (Gear #4, illustrated in FIG. 11 ) caninclude connecting A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6 together, B1, B2, B3, B4,B5, and B6 together, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6 together, and thecentral connections 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 4 a, 4b, 4 c, 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 6 a, 6 b and 6 c can be connected together.

The individual winding sections while operating in series/parallel mode(Gear #3, illustrated in FIG. 12 ) can include connecting A1, A2 and A3together, 1 a, 2 a, 3 a, A4, A5 and A6 together, B1, B2 and B3 together,1 b, 2 b, 3 b, B4, B5 and B6 together, C1, C2 and C3 together, 1 c, 2 c,3 c, C4, C5 and C6 together, 4 a, 5 a, 6 a, 4 b, 5 b, 6 b, 4 c, 5 c and6 c together. In this configuration (Gear #3), each active windingsection carries half the voltage of the parallel mode (Gear #4) and¼^(th) of the current found in the parallel mode (Gear #4) configurationwhen serving as a generator under constant power.

The individual winding sections while operating in anotherseries/parallel mode (Gear #2, illustrated in FIG. 13 ) can includeconnecting: A1 to A2; 1 a, 2 a, A3 and A4 together; 3 a, 4 a, A5 and A6together; B1 to B2; 1 b, 2 b, B3 and B4 together; 3 b, 4 b, B5 and B6together; C1 to C2; 1 c, 2 c, C3 and C4 together; 3 c, 4 c, C5 and C6together; and 5 a, 6 a, 5 b, 6 b, 5 c and 6 c together. In thisconfiguration (Gear #2), each active winding section carries one thirdthe voltage of the parallel mode (Gear #4) and ⅙^(th) of the currentfound in the parallel mode (Gear #4) configuration when serving as agenerator under constant power.

The individual winding sections while operating in series mode (Gear #1,illustrated in FIG. 14 ) can include connecting: 1 a to A2; 2 a to A3; 3a to A4; 4 a to A5; 5 a to A6; 1 b to B2; 2 b to B3; 3 b to B4; 4 b toB5; 5 b to B6; 1 c to C2; 2 c to C3; 3 c to C4; 4 c to C5; 5 c to C6;and 6 a, 6 b and 6 c together. In this configuration (Gear #1), eachactive winding section carries one sixth the voltage of the parallelmode (Gear #4) and 1/12^(th) of the current found in the parallel mode(Gear #4) configuration when serving as a generator under constantpower.

The amperages of six wire system of 20 ohm coils with a 100 voltpotential would be 49.8 amp turns in first gear (all series); 199.8 ampturns in second gear; 451.2 amp turns in third gear and 1800 amp turnsin fourth gear (all parallel). Subsequently the computer can cause awires or wire sets in the all parallel mode to be disconnected creatingadditional gears between third and fourth. For example, four allparallel wires is 800 amp turns, and five all parallel wires is 1250 ampturns. The foregoing voltages are provided for illustrative purposes,and those skilled in the art will appreciate that different voltages andadditional configurations can be provided to achieve any number ofgears. Furthermore, one or more electronic switches, in addition tobeing configured to connect the wires in the arrangements describedabove, can also be configured to disconnect one or more of thewires/windings, e.g., to implement a 4-wire configuration in a 6-wiresystem, and so forth, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C for a six-wiresystem putting two intermediary gears between third and fourth gears.When switching from the third gear (Gear #3) to the fourth gear (Gear#4 - all parallel), there may arise a need to not only remove one or twowires in each leg of the phases to create addition two or more gearsbetween third and fourth gear, but also using a pulse width modulationscheme on said wires to partially include them as a percentage toprovide a variable (e.g., infinitely variable) gearing between third andfourth gear.

In some embodiments, for a three-phase motor/generator, six (or four oreight or more) parallel, non-twisted wires are wound around the statorcores of each stator ring, in the same manner as the stator cores wouldbe wound with one wire. However, the six wires may have fewer wrapsaround each core before the available space is filled. In a three-phasemotor, the wires (sometimes referred to a legs or branches) of eachcircuit phase normally come together at a common point. According tovarious embodiments of this disclosure, six wires are disconnected orseparated at the common point and are run through a switching system(e.g., a plurality of logic controlled electronic switches) configuredto cause the wires to be in series, parallel or a combination thereofbut remain in three-phase configuration (as described above). The sameor a similar switching system can also be applied to connections betweenthe common stators in successive sets, in addition to the connectionsbetween the wires within the stators.

In some embodiments, a single MGT unit can have one or more rotor statorsets of two or more differently wound stators with one or two rotors perset and mechanical shifting to place the magnetic field of the rotor orrotors in contact with the electromagnetic field of one or the otherstator. In some embodiments, an electronic shifting capability isprovided within for each stator of any stator and rotor combinationincluding both: a MGT unit having multiple stators with a rotor for eachstator and no mechanical shifting; and an electric MGT unit with one ormore rotor/stator sets as described herein. In both cases, with multiplestators or multiple stator sets, similarly wired stators may be wiredtogether in parallel or series. When there are four stators, the statorsmay be configured as follows: all stators may be connected in parallel(Gear #4); two sets of stators may be connected in parallel and the setsconnected in series (Gear #3); or all stators may be connected in series(Gear #1). When there are six stators, the stators may be configured asfollows: all may be connected in parallel (Gear #4); there can be twosets of three stators wired in parallel and the sets connected in series(Gear #3); three sets of two stators wired in parallel and the setsconnected in series (Gear #2); or all sets connected in series (Gear#1).

When the stators are electrically connected to each other on a commonshaft or axle, the rotors may need to be identical and the stators mayneed to be identically wired and radially oriented or the voltages,torque and phase from each stator rotor combination can conflict. Insome embodiments, for example, in a system with six commonly wiredstators, all of the stators may need to be energized together. If one ormore are electrically disconnected, the motor/generator may experienceinefficiency from the induced drag when there is no neutral the MGT unithowever may have a neutral and successive stators or units may be placedin neutral and electrically disconnected. There are four levels oftorque/voltage when the connections between the stators are switched asabove described.

In embodiments of six rotor/stator sets with two or more stators perset, the total power of the electric motor/generator can be increased ordecreased by activating more or less rotor /stator sets within the unitsand further adjusted by shifting the rotor’s magnetic field to the nextstator of different wiring and even further adjusted by adjusting thenumber of rotor rings in the rotating magnetic field as described above.In cases where there are two or more rotor stator sets in operation, theactive stator in each of the sets, the rotor magnets in each of thesets, and the stator wiring in each of the sets must be identically setand radially oriented, then additional adjustments in torque and voltagemay be made by switching the parallel/series connections between thestators as above described.

In some embodiments, the mechanical shifting in the rotor/stator sets isimplemented with the electronic shifting of the stator wiring, and whenthere are multiple stator sets, the sets are connected with the abilityto switch the connections between them from series to parallel and thenoted combinations thereof. For further clarification, when a second setof two or more stators is added to a first set of two or more stators,both sets must be in either series or parallel for the same voltage torun through both of them and generate the same torque for the commonshaft. As stated above, stators can run all in series or all in parallelor equal sets of two or three stators in parallel where the sets areconnected in series. When shifting between series and parallel thestators should all be shifted together, unless multiple controllers areused with separate (independently controlled) stator sets.

Moreover, when additional sets of stators are added to themotor/generator, the power capacity of the generator is increased, andthe motor/generator will also have a different torque. This can be doneby having multiple rotor/stator sets that each have a neutral or idleposition, where the magnetic field of the rotor is not engaged with theelectro-magnetic field of any of the stators in the multi-setmotor/generator, and then as the power available or required increases,the stators in the sets are brought on line as needed. The powercapacity of the motor/generator can also be increased or decreased byshifting to differently wound stators within the sets and furtherfine-tuned by adjusting the number of rotor magnets engaged in the fluxfield at any one time. The ability to add or subtract active statorsfrom the motor/generator and change between stator windings, and to addrotors and focus the magnetic field of the rotors interacting with thestators, and to add and subtract magnets from the rotors, and thenfurther change the windings from series to parallel and combinationsthereof, provides the motor/generator with an ability to dynamicallyadapt to widely varying sources of energy. This serves to optimizemotor/generator configuration for improved electrical generation and toadapt to widely varying demands for motor power in hybrid vehicles, windpowered generators, and similar uses.

The MGT units as described herein can have modular electricalconnections comprising standard electrical connectors that can bemodified to be attached to the said modular end caps as to electricallyconnect multiple MGT units together as one unit. The MGT units asdescribed herein can also have power switching transistors for thegenerator mode also comprising standard 3-phase motor control invertorsfor various motor modes (as described above) utilizing both variablefrequency and pulse width modulation schemes for motor functions. Inembodiments, power switching transistors are in a configuration where a15-phase output in generator mode comprises separate output transistorsfor each of the 15 phases, where the output frequency can be selectedfrom the 15 phases and adjusted independent of the rotor RPM to buildthe new frequency as minimum RPM can support a maximum frequencydesired.

The MGT units as described herein can have electronic sensors such asHall Effect, optical or other resolving sensors attached to the rotorthat can calculate and report the RPM, direction and actual rotationalposition of the rotor or multiple rotor assemblies to the control unit.The motor/generators can have controls and a user interface comprising acomputer whereby the RPM, direction, acceleration, torque, generatormode, coast mode, motor mode and stator multiple wire series/parallelconfigurations are calculated and adjusted according to the user presetparameters and other input devices such as wind speed indicators, brakedevices, accelerator devices, failsafe devices, and other input devices.

In some embodiments, the stator ring(s) or rotor ring(s) for each setare radially offset from each other by the number of sets divided by 360degrees and the opposing stator sets or rotors are radially alignedwhere each set of 3-phase windings produces a sine power curve that isoffset from the adjacent power curve by the number of degrees that thestators or rotors are radially offset where the output frequency of themultiple phases can be selected from the multiple phases and adjustedindependent of the rotor RPM to build a new frequency so long as theminimum RPM can be maintained.

In implementations, the electronically controlled switches areconfigured to connect the two or more non-twisted wires of each phaseall in parallel, producing a first torque/speed when the motor/generatoris in the star or Wye wired configuration and a second torque/speed whenthe motor/generator is in the Delta wired configuration.

In implementations, the electronically controlled switches areconfigured to connect the two or more non-twisted wires of each phaseall in series, producing a third torque/speed when the motor/generatoris in the start or Wye wired configuration and a fourth torque/speedwhen the motor/generator is in the Delta wired configuration.

In implementations, the two or more non-twisted wires include multiplesets of two wires, wherein the electronically controlled switches areconfigured to connect the two wires of each set in parallel and areconfigured to connect the multiple sets in series with one another,producing a fifth torque/speed when the motor/generator is in the startor Wye wired configuration and a sixth torque/speed when themotor/generator is in the Delta wired configuration, different from allparallel and all series configurations of the two or more non-twistedwires.

In implementations, the two or more non-twisted wires include multiplesets of three wires, wherein the electronically controlled switches areconfigured to connect the three wires of each set in parallel and areconfigured to connect the multiple sets in series with one another,producing a seventh torque/speed when the motor/generator is in thestart or Wye wired configuration and an eighth torque/speed when themotor/generator is in the Delta wired configuration, different from allparallel and all series configurations of the two or more non-twistedwires.

In implementations, the two or more non-twisted wires include multiplesets of four wires, wherein the electronically controlled switches areconfigured to connect the four wires of each set in parallel and areconfigured to connect the multiple sets in series with one another,producing a ninth torque/speed when the motor/generator is in the startor Wye wired configuration and an tenth torque/speed when themotor/generator is in the Delta wired configuration, different from allparallel and all series configurations of the two or more non-twistedwires.

In implementations, the electronically controlled switches areconfigured to disconnect at least one wire of the two or morenon-twisted wires from a series or parallel configuration withoutelectric current flowing through the at least one disconnected wire butthrough the remaining wires connected in the series or parallelconfiguration, where each disconnected wire in a phase decreases thenumber of amp turns in each of the cores and produces a differenttorque/speed than if all wires were connected in the series or parallelconfiguration.

In implementations, a center plane of the stator cores and a rotationalplane of the rotor magnets, may be offset from one another in an axialdirection in varying controlled amounts, wherein increasing the distancebetween the two planes from a coplanar position decreases an amount ofback electromotive force produced by the magnets on the cores, providinga means to balance the gauss created in the windings by the switchingfrom parallel to series and/or Wye to Delta wired configuration with thegauss created by the permanent magnets to achieve energy efficiency ateach setting electronically controlled switches.

In implementations, the stator core windings are multi-pole and thepoles in each phase are equally spaced around the periphery of thestator, where each pole core winding is terminated on both ends byrespective ones of the electronically controlled switches so that thepoles in a phase winding can be connected in series or parallel, or insets of two or more poles connected in parallel with the sets connectedto each other in series.

In implementations, the one or more stators comprise at least a firststator ring and a second stator ring, wherein the respective statorwindings of the first stator ring and the second stator ring are spacedapart in an axial direction and cored and/or wound differently to createtwo distinct ranges of performance in torque/speed and amps/volts, eachof the two distinct ranges of performance corresponding to an alignmentof the rotor with a selected one of the first and second stator rings.

In implementations, the translation of the stator ring(s) and/or therotor ring(s) is controlled by commands from a computer system that canaccept information from various torque, speed, volt, amp, heat,proximity and other input sensors and/or human activated control devices(e.g., a computer interface device). The computer system can beconfigured to perform one or more algorithms to control the movement ofthe stator ring(s) and/or rotor ring(s) from or to positions 1, 2, 3,and other positions in between to affect the magnetic interactionbetween the stator ring(s) and the rotor ring(s) to change thespeed/torque and volt/amp ratios of the, MGT unit causing it to performas a transmission.

In implementations, the stator ring and rotor ring may be at least oneof, laminated iron plates, powdered iron and resin or any other materialknown in the art of electric motors or generators. The permanent magnetsalong the periphery of the rotor ring may be comprised of neodymium ironboron (NdFeB) or material of comparable or better magnetic strengthand/or coercivity composition of magnets or magnet with increasedmagnetic strength and/or coercivity.

In implementations, any one or more of the two or more non-twistedparallel wires that are connected in series, in either WYE or Deltaconfigurations, may be disconnected from the series with no electriccurrent flowing through it or them but through the remaining wiresconnected in the series. Where each of the wires disconnected in thephase decreases the number of amp turns in each of the cores andproduces a different torque/speed and volt/amp ratio for each of thewires disconnected than if all were included in the series winding. Forexample, FIGS. 11B and 11C show examples where a portion of thenon-twisted parallel wires in each phase leg are connected in parallel,and one or more wires are disconnected from the connected portion ofwires.

In implementations, the multiple wires in the core phase windings may beof different diameter having different amp carrying capacities andresistance enabling the implementation of different amp and amp/turncombinations in the core windings as the switching is conducted.

In implementations, the stator core windings are multi-pole, and thepoles in each phase are spaced around the periphery of the stator whereeach pole core winding is terminated on both ends at electronicallycontrolled switches so that the poles in a phase winding can beconnected in series or parallel or in sets of two or more polesconnected in parallel and the sets connected to each other in series andso that the coils may be independently energized.

In some embodiments, the stator rings are dual wound. For example, FIG.37A illustrates a split stator that is single wound, and FIG. 37Billustrates a split stator that is dual wound. Referring to FIG. 37A,this figure shows connections for a three-phase stator in normal mode asone single stator. The stator ring shown in FIG. 37A has 42 separatecoils (14 three phase sets). The center tap of each phase namely A, Band C are connected to corresponding phase where all the A connectionsare together, all the B connections are together and all the Cconnections are together. The A center tap connections are for the Phase1 or L1 inputs from the controller. The B center tap connections are forthe Phase 2 or L2 inputs from the controller. The C center tapconnections are for the Phase 3 or L3 inputs from the controller.Referring now to FIG. 37B, this figure shows the connections for athree-phase stator in split mode as a double stator. For example, thestator ring in FIG. 37B is configured with a first set of stator coilsin half as many coil spaces as are available in the stator ring,alternately spaced around the ring. The first set of stator coils isserved by a first controller. The stator ring is further configured witha second set of stator coils in a remaining half of the coil spaces ofthe stator ring. The second set of stator coils is served by a secondcontroller. A common computer processor is configured to control thefirst controller and the first set of stator coils and the secondcontroller and the second set of stator coils independent of oneanother. In an embodiment shown in FIG. 37B, the stator ring has 42separate coils (two separate instances of 7 three phase sets). They areevenly spaced and balanced around the periphery of the stator frame. Thecenter tap of each phase namely A, B and C are connected tocorresponding phase where all the A connections are together, all the Bconnections are together, and all the C connections are together. Thecenter tap of each phase namely X, Y and Z are also connected tocorresponding phase where all the X connections are together, all the Yconnections are together, and all the Z connections are together. The Acenter tap connections are for the Phase 1 or L1 inputs from thecontroller. The B center tap connections are for the Phase 2 or L2inputs from the controller. The C center tap connections are for thePhase 3 or L3 inputs from the controller. The X center tap connectionsare for the Phase 1 or T1 inputs from the controller. The Y center tapconnections are for the Phase 2 or T2 inputs from the controller. The Zcenter tap connections are for the Phase 3 or T3 inputs from thecontroller. The configuration shown in FIG. 37B enables utilization oftwo controllers at the same time within a single stator frame, therebyallowing series/parallel internal switching while one controller (i.e.,a controller connected to wires that are not being reconfigured) isstill in operation.

The use of switched stator windings has been discussed, where the statorcoils are wound with multiple wires that could be switched from being inall series, all parallel or a combination thereof in either the WYE orthe Delta configuration. Some problems that have been encountered arethe following. There may be a loss of torque during the time interval ofthe switching, causing a bump or jerk in the vehicle being propelled.There is no way to adjust or weaken the magnetic field or a permanentmagnet motor. More than two wires while possible are not alwayspractical.

The inventors have found that not only is there a loss of torque in theswitching interval but the speed/torque ratio difference between allseries and all parallel is quite severe as is switching between theDelta and WYE configuration. This large difference in torque and speedalso causes a bump or sudden lurch. In some implementations of thisdisclosure (e.g., FIGS. 1 through 6 ), the MGT unit has two or moremultiple wire wound stator rings and one permanent magnet rotor ring.The stator rings and the rotor ring can be repositioned while the statorwindings are electronically reconfigured to create a synergisticrelationship, whereby the MGT unit can be electrically shifted from onegear to the next and also mechanically shifted to smooth the transitionbetween gears. For example, the stator windings of the first stator ringcan be configured in a first gear, and the stator windings of the secondstator ring can be configured in a second gear. The rotor ring can bemoved from a first position (engaging the first stator ring) to a secondposition (engaging the second stator ring) to provide a smooth shiftfrom the first gear to the second gear. Similarly, the stator windingsof the first stator ring can be switched into a third gear, and therotor ring can be brought back into a position engaging the first statorring to provide a smooth shift from the second gear to the third gear.This process can be repeated to smoothly transition from one gear to thenext in either direction (e.g., going up gears or going down).

In some embodiments, the switching of the wires and the stator poles iscontrolled by the computer system that can accept information fromvarious torque, speed, volt, amp, heat, proximity and other inputsensors and/or human activated control devices (e.g., a computerinterface device). The computer system may be configured to process theinformation by performing one or more algorithms to change thespeed/torque and volt/amp ratios of an MGT unit causing it to perform asa transmission.

In some embodiments, a rotor assembly includes two rotor rings havingrespective sets permanent magnets (e.g., as described herein and shownin FIGS. 16 through 24 or FIGS. 25 through 36 ), where both of the rotorrings are slidably coupled to their longitudinal rotor supportstructure, and where they are moved or translated closer together orfurther apart by a linear motion device (e.g., linear actuator), such asset screw powered by stepper motors located within cavities in the rotorrings, solenoids, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or the like, underthe control of the computer system. These units may also have twostators and three rotors two rotors engaged with any one stator at atime switching back and forth between stators to accomplish the smoothtransition in switching between wiring configurations as abovedescribed.

In some attempted configurations to implement switching between allparallel, all series Delta and Y connections, the process has beenfrustrated by the generally unacceptable interruption of power, largepower surges and jolts to the mechanical process during and immediatelyfollowing the short time interval necessary to complete the switch fromone wiring configuration to another and has been further limited toattempts to create multi-speed electric motors.

This disclosure eliminates the interruption, power surge and joltproblems and further concentrates on obtaining the most efficient energyconsumption/production for each range of speed and torque under whichthe motor or generator will be used. Current electric motor art createshighly efficient motor/generators at the constant speeds and torquesettings for which they were designed. This disclosure creates multiplehighly efficient points over a much wider speed/torque spectrum andallows the motor/generator to adjust or fine tune the magnetic fieldbetween the stator coils and the rotor magnets to meet (or nearly meet)the optimum amp and torque requirements of a motor or generatoremploying the MGT unit and to optimize efficiency at any time underwidely variable conditions such as a motor/generator on a bus ordelivery truck or a generator on a wind mill under widely varying windconditions, or any other motor/generator deployment with variabletorque/speed requirements.

Example Implementations - MGT Unit And/or System Controls

An MGT unit, such as any of those described herein, including some orall of its components, can operate under computer control. For example,FIG. 15 shows a control system 100 for operating one or more MGT units.An MGT unit computer system 102 can be configured to interface with acontroller 120 (e.g., H-bridge controller, inverter, and/or converter)for controlling voltage, frequency, and/or amperage supplied to or fromthe stator coils, the actuator(s) 110 (e.g., linear stator and/or rotoractuator(s)), electronic switches 112 for reconfiguring the statorwindings into Star/WYE and Delta configurations and parallel and seriesconfigurations and combinations as described herein, sensor(s) 116(e.g., Hall effect or optical sensors to detect rotational frequency(RPM), voltage sensors, current sensors, frequency sensors, etc.),brake/throttle controls 118, and so forth. In some embodiments, the MGTunit includes the computer system 102. In other embodiments, thecomputer system 102 can be communicatively coupled to the MGT unit. Aprocessor 104 can be included with or in the computer system 102 tocontrol the components and functions of the MGT unit(s) described hereinusing software, firmware, hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), manualprocessing, or a combination thereof. The terms “computer system,”“functionality,” “service,” and “logic” as used herein generallyrepresent software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of software,firmware, or hardware in conjunction with controlling the MGT unit. Inthe case of a software implementation, the module, functionality, orlogic represents program code (e.g., algorithms embodied in anon-transitory computer readable medium) that performs specified taskswhen executed on a processor (e.g., central processing unit (CPU) orCPUs). The program code can be stored in one or more non-transitorycomputer-readable memory devices or media (e.g., internal memory and/orone or more tangible media), and so on. For example, memory may includebut is not limited to volatile memory, non-volatile memory, Flashmemory, SRAM, DRAM, RAM and ROM. The structures, functions, approaches,and techniques described herein can be implemented on a variety ofcommercial computing platforms having a variety of processors.

The computer system 102 can include a processor 104, a memory 106, and acommunications interface 108. The processor 104 provides processingfunctionality for at least the computer system 102 and can include anynumber of processors, microcontrollers, circuitry, field programmablegate array (FPGA) or other processing systems, and resident or externalmemory for storing data, executable code, and other information accessedor generated by the computer system 102. The processor 104 can executeone or more software programs embodied in a non-transitory computerreadable medium that implement techniques described herein. Theprocessor 104 is not limited by the materials from which it is formed orthe processing mechanisms employed therein and, as such, can beimplemented via semiconductor(s) and/or transistors (e.g., usingelectronic integrated circuit (IC) components), and so forth.

The computer system 102 may include a memory 106 (e.g., Flash memory,RAM, SRAM, DRAM, ROM, etc.). The memory 106 can be an example oftangible, computer-readable storage medium that provides storagefunctionality to store various data and or program code associated withoperation of the computer system 102, such as software programs and/orcode segments, or other data to instruct the processor 104, and possiblyother components of the MGT unit, to perform the functionality describedherein. Thus, the memory 106 can store data, such as a program ofinstructions for operating the MGT unit (including its components), andso forth. It should be noted that while a single memory 106 isdescribed, a wide variety of types and combinations of memory (e.g.,tangible, non-transitory memory) can be employed. The memory 106 can beintegral with the processor 104, can comprise stand-alone memory, or canbe a combination of both.

Some examples of the memory 106 can include removable and non-removablememory components, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory(ROM), flash memory (e.g., a secure digital (SD) memory card, a mini-SDmemory card, and/or a micro-SD memory card), magnetic memory, opticalmemory, universal serial bus (USB) memory devices, hard disk memory,external memory, and so forth. In implementations, the computer system102 and/or the memory 106 can include removable integrated circuit card(ICC) memory, such as memory provided by a subscriber identity module(SIM) card, a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card, auniversal integrated circuit card (UICC), and so on.

The computer system 102 may include a communications interface 108. Thecommunications interface 108 can be operatively configured tocommunicate with components of the MGT unit. For example, thecommunications interface 108 can be configured to transmit data forstorage in the MGT unit, retrieve data from storage in the MGT unit, andso forth. The communications interface 108 can also be communicativelycoupled with the processor 104 to facilitate data transfer betweencomponents of the MGT unit and the processor 104 (e.g., forcommunicating inputs to the processor 104 received from a devicecommunicatively coupled with the MGT unit/computer system 102). Itshould be noted that while the communications interface 108 is describedas a component of computer system 102, one or more components of thecommunications interface 108 can be implemented as external componentscommunicatively coupled to the MGT unit via a wired and/or wirelessconnection. The MGT unit can also include and/or connect to one or moreinput/output (I/O) devices (e.g., via the communications interface 108),such as a display, a mouse, a touchpad, a touchscreen, a keyboard, amicrophone (e.g., for voice commands) and so on.

The communications interface 108 and/or the processor 104 can beconfigured to communicate with a variety of different networks, such asa wide-area cellular telephone network, such as a cellular network, a 3Gcellular network, a 4G cellular network, or a global system for mobilecommunications (GSM) network; a wireless computer communicationsnetwork, such as a WiFi network (e.g., a wireless local area network(WLAN) operated using IEEE 802.11 network standards); an ad-hoc wirelessnetwork, an internet; the Internet; a wide area network (WAN); a localarea network (LAN); a personal area network (PAN) (e.g., a wirelesspersonal area network (WPAN) operated using IEEE 802.15 networkstandards); a public telephone network; an extranet; an intranet; and soon. However, this list is provided by way of example only and is notmeant to limit the present disclosure. Further, the communicationsinterface 108 can be configured to communicate with a single network ormultiple networks across different access points. In a specificembodiment, a communications interface 108 can transmit information fromthe computer system 102 to an external device (e.g., a cell phone, acomputer connected to a WiFi network, cloud storage, etc.). In anotherspecific embodiment, a communications interface 108 can receiveinformation from an external device (e.g., a cell phone, a computerconnected to a WiFi network, cloud storage, etc.).

The controller 120 is configured to control the voltage, amperage,and/or frequency of signals suppled to (in the case of a motor) or from(in the case of a generator) stator coils 114 (e.g., signal throughwires of stator coils in any of FIGS. 1 through 14 and 16 through 36 ).For example, the controller 120 may be configured to adjust the voltage,amperage, and/or frequency based on an input signal from thebrake/throttle 118 and/or sensor(s) 116 (e.g., based on detected RPM orradial position of rotor rings). The computer system 102 is configuredto monitor the controller 120 and possibly other data sources (e.g.,sensor(s) 116 for RPM readings, brake/throttle 118 inputs, and soforth). Based on information received from these data sources, thecomputer system 102 can operate the actuators 110, electronic switches112, and the controller 120. For example, when the controller 120 hasreached a predetermined operating threshold (e.g., minimum/maximumvoltage, amperage, frequency, etc.), the computer system 102 may beconfigured to cause the controller 120 to be placed in a neutral statewhile the computer system 102 causes the actuators 110 and/or electronicswitches 112 to reconfigure the stator and/or rotor rings (as describedwith regard to any of FIGS. 1 through 14 and 16 through 36 ). Thecomputer system 102 is configured to then cause the controller 120 toresume transmission to or from the stator coils at an amperage, voltage,and/or frequency that provides approximately the same number ofamp-turns (At) as was provided prior to the mechanical and/or electricalreconfiguration of the rotor and/or stator rings. The controller 120 canthen continue operation until another operating threshold is reached,where the computer system 102 can then repeat the same reconfigurationand reprogramming of the MGT unit components.

The computer system 102 can be configured to cause the electronicswitches 112 to switch a wiring or phase configuration of the statorcoils at least partially based upon the rotational frequency (e.g., RPM)of the first and second rotor rings. For example, the computer system102 can control the electronic switches 112 and/or the actuators 110 tochange electrical and/or mechanical configurations of the system basedon the rotational frequency or other information indicative of thesystem power requirements. The computer system 102 can implement aplurality of gears (i.e., different mechanical and/or electricalconfigurations) to successively increase or decrease amp-turncapacities, thereby increasing or decreasing a corresponding strength ofa magnetic field of the stator coils, as a demand for power on the MGTunit/system increases or decreases. The computer system can beconfigured to cause the electronic switches 112 to connect the multipleparallel non-twisted wires of the stator coils in all series, allparallel, or in a combination of series and parallel. The computersystem 102 can also be configured to cause the electronic switches 112to connect a portion of the multiple parallel non-twisted wires in allseries, all parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel andconfigured to cause the electronic switches 112 to disconnect one ormore wires from the portion of the multiple parallel non-twisted wires(e.g., see FIGS. 11B and 11C). The computer system 102 can be configuredto cause the electronic switches 112 to switch the phase wiring betweenthe star (Y) configuration and the Delta configuration and configured toconnect the multiple parallel non-twisted wires in all series, allparallel, or in a combination of series and parallel. The computersystem 102 can be configured to cause the electronic switches 112 toswitch the phase wiring between the star (Y) configuration and the Deltaconfiguration, configured to cause the electronic switches 112 toconnect a portion of the multiple parallel non-twisted wires in allseries, all parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel, andconfigured to cause the electronic switches 112 to disconnect one ormore wires from the portion of the multiple parallel non-twisted wires.In an implementation such as shown in FIGS. 16 through 24 or FIGS. 25through 36 , the computer system 102 can be configured cause theactuator(s) to: place the first rotor ring and the second rotor ring ina first position on either side of the center plane of the stator ringwhere the distance from the center plane of the stator ring to the innersurface of each rotor ring; place the first rotor ring and the secondrotor ring in a second position where the inner surfaces of the firstand second rotor rings are coplanar with respective outer surfaces ofthe stator ring, on either end of the stator ring; place the first rotorring and the second rotor ring in a third position where the innersurfaces of the first and second rotor rings are coplanar with thecenter plane of the stator; and place the first rotor ring and thesecond rotor ring at one or more positions other than the first, second,and third positions. These are some examples of the electrical and/ormechanical configurations that can be affected by the computer system102 in order to change the magnetic field strengths and interactions inthe MGT unit/system. Any combination of the foregoing operations can beimplemented by the MGT control system 100 to improve/optimize efficiencyof the overall system.

In embodiments, an MGT system can include another MGT system computerthat can also include a processor, a memory, and a communicationsinterface, such as those described herein. The MGT system computer canbe in communication with the MGT unit including computer system 102 andpossibly one or more additional MGT units and their respective computersystems to provide central processing for the MGT system. The MGT systemcomputer can be configured to receive operator commands and parameterssuch as RPM, speed, torque parameters, and so forth, and the MGT systemcomputer can control the MGT units based on the received information tocontrol the stator and/or rotor positioning and stator winding and/orphase wiring configurations in order to achieve desired (e.g., optimalor near optimal) system requirements.

Generally, any of the functions described herein can be implementedusing hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry such as integratedcircuits), software, firmware, manual processing, or a combinationthereof. Thus, the blocks discussed in the above disclosure generallyrepresent hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry such as integratedcircuits), software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the instanceof a hardware configuration, the various blocks discussed in the abovedisclosure may be implemented as integrated circuits along with otherfunctionality. Such integrated circuits may include all of the functionsof a given block, system, or circuit, or a portion of the functions ofthe block, system, or circuit. Further, elements of the blocks, systems,or circuits may be implemented across multiple integrated circuits. Suchintegrated circuits may comprise various integrated circuits, including,but not necessarily limited to: a monolithic integrated circuit, a flipchip integrated circuit, a multichip module integrated circuit, and/or amixed signal integrated circuit. In the instance of a softwareimplementation, the various blocks discussed in the above disclosurerepresent executable instructions (e.g., program code) that performspecified tasks when executed on a processor. These executableinstructions can be stored in one or more tangible computer readablemedia. In some such instances, the entire system, block, or circuit maybe implemented using its software or firmware equivalent. In otherinstances, one part of a given system, block, or circuit may beimplemented in software or firmware, while other parts are implementedin hardware.

Various embodiments of MGT units have been described herein. Such MGTunits can be implemented in a variety of power generation and powermanagement applications. For example, the MGT units described herein canbe implemented in generation devices (e.g., windmills, hydropowergenerators, and the like) and vehicles or motor-driven devices withmultiple power sources, such as hybrid vehicles (e.g., cars,motorcycles, etc.), hybrid marine vessels, hybrid airplanes, and soforth. Some example applications are discussed below.

Example Implementations - Wind Power Generation System

In an example application where an MGT unit as described herein isimplemented in a windmill or wind turbine, an operating scenario canstart with no wind at the wind turbine and the stator ring(s) and rotorring(s) in the inactive “stopped” condition. In this scenario, anactuator has moved the stator ring(s) and/or rotor ring(s) to a positionwhere the stator windings are disengaged from the magnetic field of therotor magnets. As the wind speed starts to increase, a sensor canmeasure the RPM and “shift” or move the stator ring(s) and/or rotorring(s) from the neutral mode into a position where the magnetic fieldof the rotor magnets engages the least amount of stator windings and is100% parallel requiring the least amount of torque, allowing rotation ofthe windmill to begin at very low wind speeds and generate electricitymuch sooner than conventional generators can “startup”. The computersystem can collect data from wind speed sensors and the rotational speedof the windmill. As the wind speed increases, the computer system canshift the MGT unit from Gear #1, 100% series to Gear #2, three sets oftwo parallel wires connected in series, and so on to Gears #3 and #4 andso forth (and possibly intermediate gears), increasing the torquerequired to turn the windmill blades until either a preset rotationalspeed is achieved or the resisting torque of the stator/rotor set isequal to the power of the wind and the wind mill blades are turning at aconstant speed.

As the computer system monitors the wind speed and power available fromthe wind it can engage the actuators of 1, 2, 3 or more stator/rotorsets to match the power of the wind concurrently shifting each of thestator/rotor sets through their various gears and stators/rotors asabove described until equilibrium in the rotational speed of thewindmill blades is achieved and the power of the wind is matched with anoptimum or nearly optimum generating capacity of the wind powergenerator and maintaining needed line voltage. As the wind speedincreases and it is desired to bring additional stator sets online, sayfrom three sets to four sets, the computer can determine what gear thefour sets can be in and what stator activated, then momentarilyelectrically disconnect the three sets, place the four sets in the newconfiguration and electrically reconnect the four sets to beconcurrently shifted with the same voltage emanating from each statorset. Final adjustments and fine tuning is achieved by fine adjustment ofthe alignment of the stators with the rotor in the sets. This alsoapplies when minor adjustments are required to accommodate minorvariations in the wind speed.

When the wind velocity subsides, and the number of stator sets on lineis to be decreased from four to three, the last stator to come on lineis electrically disconnected, its stator repositioned to neutral and thethree remaining stator sets adjusted to match the wind power then beinggenerated by the windmill. In this manner systems and techniques inaccordance with the present disclosure can accurately, swiftly andefficiently balance the power output of the motor generator with theavailable wind speed at levels of wind speed and produce generatedelectric power from the wind at high efficiency rate. Generally, thetotal number of stator/rotor sets in the motor/generator in full seriessetting acting together can correspond to the maximum structural andmechanical capabilities of the wind mill and its blades. At the point ofmaximum capacity as with some generators it can automatically shut down.But unlike generators that have a narrow band of wind speeds where theyoperate efficiently, techniques in accordance with the presentdisclosure can extract increased power from the wind at high efficiencythroughout the entire range of wind speeds up to the structural capacityof the wind mill. When the wind speed starts to slow down, and theoutput voltage drops, the unit can switch down to the next stator-wiringmode to increase the voltage/power collection. When the wind speed dropsto a very slow condition, and although not much power is generated, theunit can still capture this and help with the annual wind turbine outputfor greater overall machine efficiency where conventional generators mayhave to shut down.

Another operational function can be described in a larger scaled upversion as in megawatt sized wind turbines. This scenario can behave thesame as in the small wind example, but the configuration of thegenerator can be much larger, may have as many as 12 or morestator/rotor sets in a 3-phase configuration to enable a smoothtransition in RPM changes do to highly variable wind. The statorengagement process can also be the same or similar, with the exceptionof extra user controls, sensors for power grid control and monitoringsystems to sense the load and adjust to customer demand.

Another feature of this disclosure is the addition of largerstator/rotor sets and the ability to offset each of the stator/rotorsets rotationally by a few degrees as to make the number of stator androtor section equal the evenly spaced out rotational offsets. This canhelp with generator “cogging” and enable a design of this disclosurewhereby the multiple stator windings can be controlled to have anonboard insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) select the differenthigh and low voltage points and using pulse width modulation (PWM)schemes, build and create a 3-phase sine wave at a set frequency of 60hz. When sensing RPM changes and fluctuations, the controls can adjustthe stator winding section to keep and maintain this frequency even whenmoderate RPM changes are noticed. This is a solution for a variablerotational power source and a constant frequency generated output for alocal grid or emergency power source without conversion losses due toAC-to-DC and large inverter systems power consumption. To understandthis process, an example of a large stator set of multiple pole 3-phasewinding and 12 stator and rotor sets is provided. In this example, thestator sets are aligned with each other but the rotor sets arerotationally offset by 1/12^(th) of the multiple pole rotational angle.This can provide 12 separate 3-phase outputs equally spaced inoscillation offset. The computer system can then take the current RPM,acceleration, load, back EMF (electromagnetic force), output frequencyand target frequency and use the PWM switching IGBT’s to select upcomingpower potentials from the multiple phases and produce the targetfrequency from the high and low points of the generated multiple phases,possibly regardless of the source RPM (e.g., as long as the RPM issufficient to maintain the target voltage and power output). The samelinear actuation of the stator sections can regulate the torque andchanging wind speed rotor RPM’s while producing efficient power for theconditions of gusts and very low wind speed plus conditions in between.

The disclosure’s operational function in the application of otherrenewable energy sources such as tidal and wave generation machines canutilize this same variability in RPM to increase efficiency where thesource is intermittent and unreliable, for example, where wave andpossible tidal generation machines may also turn a generator onedirection and then immediately change rotational direction and continueto generate power efficiently. This disclosure has the ability to addadditional rotor/stator set to increase and/or decrease the powercapacity and then fine-tune the output with the stator and/or rotorlinear movement to coincide with the gradual oscillating output powersource and direction changes and further adjust the volt/amp ratios toincrease the efficiency of the unit to match the variable input at aninstant of time, by switching between stators and parallel or serieswinding.

Example Implementations - Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion System

FIG. 38 shows an implementation of the MGT unit in a hybrid vehicle(e.g., automobile, boat, or other transportation vehicle) where operatorinput 600 is supplied to the computer system 601 by a conventionalvehicle component, such as a throttle, brake pedal, ignition switch,forward and reverse lever, or the like. An advantage of the MGT unit isthat it has a neutral and many combinations of speed and power betweenneutral and full power and does not require a clutch interconnection 606between it and the combustion engine 603 and is its own transmission.Also, multiple MGT units may be joined together to greatly increase theavailable power as is shown in FIG. 38 (e.g., MGT units 604 and 605).

When the vehicle is operating under combustion power only, both MGTunits 604 and 605 can be placed in neutral and the vehicle driven as anyother vehicle on the road today except that either or both MGT units 604and/or 605 may have their rotors moved from position 1 (neutral) toposition 2 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 23 ) where trickle power is generatedfor recharging the batteries over long highway road trips and negligiblepower is taken from the combustion engine 603. If a full charge isneeded more quickly, the rotor rings in MGT units 604 and/or MGT unit605 may be advanced towards position 3 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 24 )based on one or more commands from a computer system 601 (e.g., such asthe MGT unit computer system 102 and/or MGT system computer describedherein), where the need for battery reserves are balanced against theexpense and availability of increased combustion fuel consumption andoperator requirements/input. Also when under combustion power as theoperator applies pressure to the brake pedal, the rotor rings in one orboth MGT units 604 and 605 advance quickly towards position 3 generatingelectricity to recharge the batteries while applying braking force tothe drive shaft commensurate with the amount of pressure applied to thebrake pedal by the operator to stop the vehicle. This feature of the MGTsurpasses any similar application in a hybrid electric vehicle by virtueof the fact that the permanent magnets in the MGT rotors may be largerthan would be used in a conventional electric motor since theinteraction of the magnetic field between the rotors and the stator maybe varied between 0 and maximum value utilizing lower values whenoperated as a motor and higher in some cases when operated as a brakegenerating electricity. Also when the brakes are applied at high speed asignificant amount of electricity could be generated in a short periodof time and exceed the amperage capacity of the stator coil wires. Whenthis occurs in the MGT units 604 and 605 their stator coils are switchedto all parallel or a combination of series and parallel that willaccommodate the sudden amperage increase. This is not possible in anyconventional electric motor/generator.

In some applications, such as rapid transit, it may be desirable to havethe combustion engine 603 providing power to the first MGT unit 604acting as a generator which would be supplying power to charge thebattery bank 602 and the second MGT unit 605 providing mechanical powerto the drive wheels of the train. In such cases a clutch 606 would beinstalled between MGT units 604 and 605. MGT unit 604 serves as thegenerator and MGT unit 605 serves as the propulsion unit where at anypoint in time all three including the combustion engine 603 could beproviding mechanical power to the drive shaft 607 to the drive wheelsand at any point in time both units (MGT unit 604 and MGT unit 605)could be generating electricity to charge the batteries 602 whilefurnishing braking energy to stop the vehicle (e.g., a train).

In some applications, a hybrid vehicle may be equipped with a combustionengine that is very economical to operate but only of sufficient powerto propel the vehicle at slow speed on level ground or higher speed onthe interstate highway but insufficient for rapid acceleration or hillclimbing. In such an application, the MGT unit is ideal in that it has aneutral and will draw no power when the combustion engine is operatingin its most economical mode, but when stressed by the terrain or byadditional pressure on the accelerator by the operator the centralprocessor will activate one or more MGT units and move their rotors andswitch their stator wires to supplement the power of the combustionengine with sufficient electromechanical power to meet the conditions orcircumstances at hand. This same vehicle would also have the samebattery recharge and braking features described above.

When the MGT units are used to propel the vehicle exclusive of thecombustion engine they are highly efficient, more so than a conventionalelectric motor under variable speed and torque applications.Conventional electric motors are efficient under a very narrow range ofspeed and torque for which they were designed. High efficiency requiresthat the flow of flux or the interaction of the flux between the rotorand stator be balanced. A conventional electric motor can over a narrowrange vary the voltage and amperage of the electricity in the statorcoils and in the process, change the strength of the stator magneticfield, but it cannot change the strength of the magnetic field of therotors in a permanent magnet electric motor and only inefficiently inother AC electric motors. Thus, when the strength of the magnetic fieldof the stator in a conventional electric motor varies from its designedvalue it losses efficiency since it is not in balance with the magneticfield of the rotor. The disclosed MGT units can vary the magnetic fluxfrom the rotors with that of the stators and further increase thevariability of the stators by switching from all series to all parallelor combinations thereof in its stator coils, whereby the balance betweenthe magnetic field of the rotor and the stator is maintained by commandsfrom the computer system to move the rotor position, switch the statorwires between combinations of series and parallel and increase ordecrease the voltage, amperage and frequency of the electricity flowingto the stator coils.

Example Implementations - Linear Motor/Generator/Transmission (LMGT)

Referring generally to FIGS. 39 through 55 , various embodiments of LMGTsystems are described. In prior art permanent magnet electric motors andgenerators, the magnetic field of the rotor is not adjustable, but isinstead fixed. In the case of prior art permanent magnet linear motors,the magnetic field of the “carriage” is fixed and is not adjustable. Asa result, most prior art motors and generators are designed for aspecific speed and torque with a very narrow range of optimumefficiency. In the case of linear motors, often intended for use intransportation with the occurrence of frequent stopping and starting andwidely variable speed and pull, is it is a challenge to design a linearmotor using prior art technologies without incurring a significant lossof efficiency as the parameters of speed and pull vary from the designedoptimum. The high pull requirements of a linear motor moving large heavyobjects employ the use of powerful permanent magnets which in turncreate a large back EMF that is typically overcome with high voltage andamperage. When motor speed and torque are constant, prior art motors orgenerators can be designed for optimum efficiency at the designed speedand torque. Many times, this efficiency is above 90%. Thus, in themanufacturer of these prior art motors, the stator core windings andpermanent magnets are selected to act together in the most efficientmanner possible to produce the selected design torque, rpm and volt, ampratios at an optimum or threshold efficiency or in the case of thelinear motor the selected design linear carriage speed and pull and voltamp ratios. Once these key components are selected and placed in theprior art motor, generator or linear motor, they cannot be changed. Onlythe power and speed of the driving force in a prior art generator andthe volts and amperage of electricity into a prior art motor can bechanged. When the prior art motor, generator or linear motor is put inservice where the speed and torque vary widely, such as for example inland vehicles or wind powered generators, the back EMF of the fixedmagnets have to be overcome when the speed and torque or pullrequirements deviate from the design values for these parameters. Whenthese prior art systems are not operating at the selected designparameters, the overall efficiency of the prior motor or generatordramatically drops in many cases to as low as 20% for example in rapidtransit vehicle, automobiles or wind powered generators and the like.

An electric LMGT system is disclosed that is capable of operating withhigh efficiency wide volt and amperage operating ranges and extremelyvariable pull force and speed conditions. The LMGT system produces avariable range of pull force, speed and magnetic braking (regeneration)possibilities to more efficiently meet the specifications of a linearmotor transportation or conveyance system. The LMGT system candynamically change the output size of the linear motor/generator byvarying the magnetic field induced in the stator by switching multiplenon-twisted parallel coil wires in the stator between being connected inall series, all parallel or combinations thereof and correspondinglyvarying, adjusting or focusing the magnetic field of the permanentmagnets acting on the stator by modularly engaging, partially engagingor disengaging magnet bars as power demands increase or decrease. Thisis particularly true when two or more carriages are connected to asingle platform, container or rapid transit car (vehicle). For exampleacting in concert, the magnetic bars of first and second carriages of avehicle can provide power to get the vehicle moving during start up andwhen the vehicle is running along the guideway at a desired speed, themagnet bars of the first carriage may be focused to provide optimumpower to maintain the desired speed while the magnet bars of the secondcarriage may be disengaged from the stator thereby substantiallyreducing the total amount of electricity used to maintain the desiredspeed of the vehicle. This is not possible under prior art systems sincethe magnets of the second carriage would be passing over the statorcoils generating electricity and considerable drag or back EMF.

As previously discussed herein, in prior art permanent magnet electricmotors and generators, the magnetic field of a rotor is not adjustablebut fixed. While it is true that the magnetic field of a permanentmagnet is fixed, it is the alternating flow of magnetic flux between thepermanent magnets of the rotor and the cores of the stator and thealternating flow of electricity in the wires of the stator core thatdetermine how a permanent magnet motor or generator will operate. Wherethere is a small amount of magnetic flux flowing between the rotormagnets and the stator core, the system operates as if the rotor of themotor/generator was fitted with small or lower strength permanentmagnets. If the amount of magnetic flux flowing between the rotormagnets and the stator core is large, the reverse is true. When smallpermanent magnets are used in the rotor of a motor, the wires in thestator core coils are appropriately sized with the requisite number ofturns to produce a magnetic field in the stator teeth (or cores) thatwill efficiently react with the magnetic field of the rotor magnets toproduce the optimum (or nearly optimum) flux flow or interaction betweenthem and optimum (or nearly optimum) torque or rpm. In the case of agenerator, the wires are sized with the requisite number of turns toefficiently accommodate the electricity generated by the alternatingflux induced in the stator cores by the permanent magnets on therotating rotor and will in many cases be different from the wires of themotor even when the permanent magnets are the same size. When largepermanent magnets are used in the rotor, the same is true in that thewires of the stator core in both the motor and generator areappropriately sized with the requisite number of turns. The wires andnumber of amp turns in the large permanent magnet motor/generator isdifferent from the wires and number of turns in the small permanentmagnet motor/generator, and the output size of the two motor/generatorsis dynamically different.

Referring to FIG. 39 and FIG. 40 , an embodiment of the LMGT system 700is shown. FIG. 39 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the LMGT system700 and FIG. 40 illustrates a perspective view of the LMGT system 700.In an embodiment, the LMGT system 700 includes a support structure 702and one or more carriages 704. In an embodiment the support structure702 is coupled to a guideway 706. In an embodiment, the guideway 706 issuspended beneath the support structure 702. In an embodiment, theguideway 706 is attached to the support structure 702 at the corners ofthe guideway 706. In alternative embodiments, the guideway 706 may beattached to the support structure 702 via other areas of the guideway706.

The guideway 706 includes a pair of guide rails 708 that run along alength of the guideway 706. The pair of guide rails 708 are generallyparallel with respect to each other. The guideway 706 includes a statorassembly mount 709. A stator assembly 710 is coupled to the guideway 706via the stator assembly mount 709. The mounted stator assembly 710generally centered within the guideway 706 and runs along the length ofthe guideway 706.

The carriage 704 includes rail wheels 712. The rail wheels 712 of thecarriage 704 ride on the guide rails 708 of the support structure 702such that the guide rails 708 guide the movement of the carriage 704along the length of the support structure 702. The carriage has a firstside 714 and an opposing second side 716. The carriage 704 includes amagnet bar assembly 718 that runs along the length of the first side 714of the carriage 704 and a load attachment plate 719 that is disposed thesecond side 716 of the carriage 704. While a single carriage 704 hasbeen described, the LGMT system 700 may include multiple carriages 704that are combined into a single vehicle.

In an embodiment, the guideway 706 includes safety wheel guides 720 thatrun along the length of the guideway 706. In an embodiment, the guideway706 includes a pair of safety wheel guides 720 that are generallyparallel with respect to each other. The carriage includes safety wheels722. The safety wheel guides 720 guide the safety wheels 722 of thecarriage 704 of the guideway 706 to prevent contact of the magnet barassembly 718 with the stator assembly 710.

Referring to FIG. 41 , FIG. 42 , and FIG. 43 , an embodiment of aguideway 706 of an LMGT system 700 is shown. FIG. 41 illustrates aperspective view of the top guideway 706. FIG. 42 depicts across-sectional view of the guideway 706. As mentioned above, theguideway 706 includes guide rails 708 that run along the length of theguideway 706 and the stator assembly mount 709. The stator assembly 710is mounted to the guideway 706 via the stator assembly mount 709. In anembodiment, the guideway 706 includes a pair of safety wheel guides 720that run along the length of the guideway 706.

The guideway 706 includes at least one power cable raceway 724 that runsalong the length of the guideway 706. In an embodiment, a pair of powercable raceways 724 are disposed on either ends of the guideway 706 andare generally parallel with respect to each other. Power cables 726 aredisposed within the power cable raceways 724. In alternativeembodiments, the guideway 706 may include a fewer or greater number ofpower cable raceways 724. In alternative embodiments, the power cableraceways 724 may have alternative configurations within the guideway706.

In an embodiment, a plurality of junction boxes 728 are disposed on atop surface of the guideway 706. The plurality of junction boxes 728 aredisposed in a spaced apart relationship with respect to each along thelength of the guideway 706. In alternative embodiments, the junctionboxes 728 may be disposed at different locations and in alternativeconfigurations on the guideway 706.

FIG. 43 depicts a perspective view of the bottom of the guideway 706with the stator assembly 710 mounted onto the guideway 706. The statorassembly 710 is mounted onto the guideway 706 via the stator assemblymount 709. The stator assembly 710 includes a plurality of stator cores730 and stator coils 732.

In an embodiment, the LMGT system is inverted such that the guideway isdisposed above a support structure. The support structure includes legsand braces that are coupled to the corners of the guideway and extenddownward towards the ground. In an embodiment, the LMGT system includesa guideway that is directedly supported by the ground without a supportsystem. In an embodiment, the guideway is flanked on one or both sidesby a transportation platform. In an embodiment the junction boxes aremounted adjacent the guideway. In an embodiment, the junction boxes areburied.

In an embodiment, the guideway 706, including stator cores 730, statorcoils 732, power cables 726, guide rails 708, and junction boxes 728 ismanufactured in prefabricated sections for quick connection to supportstructure 702. In an embodiment, guideway 706 is manufactures inapproximately forty-foot long guideway sections. Multiple guidewaysections may be connected to form a complete guideway 706.

Referring to FIG. 44 , a perspective view of an example of a statorassembly 710 for use in an embodiment of the LMGT system 700 is shown.The stator assembly 710 includes a stator core 730 and a plurality ofstator coils 732. The ends of the wire 734 of each stator coil 732 iselectrically coupled to one or more components within a junction box728. The stator assembly 710 includes a plurality of Hall effect sensors736. A Hall effect sensor 736 is disposed at an end of each segment ofthe stator core 730 associated with a stator coil 732. The each of theHall effect sensors 736 are electrically coupled to one or morecomponents within a junction box 728. In an embodiment, each of thestator coils 732 is mounted in a stator slot, cut in laminated softiron, perpendicular to the centerline of the guideway 706 throughout thelength of the guideway 706.

Referring to FIG. 45 a perspective view of an underside of an embodimentof a carriage 704 is shown. The carriage 704 includes a carriage frame738. Rail wheels 712 are mounted on either side of the carriage frame738. In an embodiment, a pair of rail wheels 712 are mounted on eitherside of the carriage frame 738. The rail wheels 712 run on parallelguide rails 708 that are integral to the guideway 706. Safety wheels 722are mounted on either side of the carriage frame 738 adjacent the railwheels 712. In an embodiment, a pair of safety wheels 722 are mounted oneither side of the carriage frame 738. The safety wheels 722 run onparallel safety wheels guides 720 that are integral to the guideway 708.The load attachment plate 718 is disposed on the opposing side of thecarriage 704. The carriage 704 includes a secondary power unit 739.

The carriage frame 738 supports the magnet bar assembly 718. In anembodiment, the magnet bar assembly 718 includes two or more magnet bars740, a lateral slide plate 742, lateral drive units 744, and threadedactuator rods 746. The lateral drive units 744 translate each of themagnet bars 740 using the threaded actuator rods 746 towards acenterline of the carriage 704 and towards the outer edges of thecarriage 704. In an embodiment, the lateral drive unit 744 includes astepper motor.

Each magnet bar 740 includes two or more magnets 748 that are affixedend to end over the length of each magnet bar 740 with their respectiveNorth and South Poles alternatively facing away from the bar surface onwhich they are mounted. The magnet bars 740 are mounted parallel to oneanother on the surface of the carriage 704 such that their length is inthe direction of carriage travel along the guideway 706. The North andSouth Pole surface of the magnet bars 740 face away from the carriage704. Like pole magnets on each magnet bar 740 are adjacent to eachother.

While the magnet bars 740 are fixed in the direction of carriage travel,the magnet bars 740 are slidably affixed to the carriage frame 738 oneither side of the centerline of the carriage frame 738 so that magnetbars 740 may be moved or translated towards the centerline and next toeach other or away from the centerline and each other. In changing thedistance between the like pole magnets 748 on each magnet bar 740, thecombined magnetic field generated by the magnets 748 is correspondinglychanged. In some embodiments, the LMGT system 700 may include multiplemagnet bars 740 in the same longitudinal alignment with each other, forexample two sets of four magnet bars 740 across, one set of magnet bars740 ahead of the other on the carriage 704, where one or all the magnetbars 740 may be engaged with the stator cores 730 at any one time.

Referring to FIG. 46 a perspective view of the underside of anembodiment of a carriage 704 is shown. In an embodiment, the magnet bars740 are segmented or divided into two sections along their lengthproviding eight possible combinations of full engagement of the magnetbars 740 with the stator cores 730 and stator coils 732 and eightinstances of varying partial engagement to provide a wide range ofmagnetic field power to the carriage 704.

Referring to FIG. 47 , a perspective view of an embodiment of the magnetbar assembly 718 for an individual magnet bar 740 is shown. The magnetbar 740 includes surface mounted magnets 748 alternating north and southpoles. As mentioned above, the lateral drive unit 744 translates themagnet bars 740 using the threaded actuator rods 746 towards and awayfrom a centerline of the carriage 704.

In an embodiment, each threaded actuator rod 746 has a first end coupledto a lateral drive unit 714 and a second end supported by an endactuator rod bearing block 749. Each of the magnet bars 740 has aplurality of actuator rod clearance holes 750 and actuator rod nuts 752to receive the threaded actuator rods 746 and to provide lateral motionto the magnet bars 740 as the threaded actuator rods 746 are turned bythe stepper motors in the lateral drive units 744. Linear slide bearings754 encompassing the linear slideways 756 provide for precision movementof the magnet bars 740 towards and away from the centerline of thecarriage 704 while maintaining precise control over vertical andhorizontal positions of the magnet bars 740 relative to the carriage704.

Referring to FIG. 48 a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGTsystem 700 illustrating one of the magnet bars 740 of the carriage 704engaged with the stator assembly 710 of the guideway 706 is shown. Themagnet bar 740 has been moved towards the centerline of the carriage 704such that the magnet bar 740 has a maximum (or near maximum) magneticeffect on the stator cores 730 and stator coils 732 of the statorassembly 710.

Referring to FIG. 49 a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGTsystem 700 illustrating two of the magnet bars 740 of the carriage 704engaged with the stator assembly 710 of the guideway 706 is shown. Thetwo magnet bars 740 have been moved towards the centerline of thecarriage 704 such that the two magnet bars 740 have a maximum (or nearmaximum) magnetic effect on the stator cores 730 and stator coils 732 ofthe stator assembly 710.

Referring to FIG. 50 a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGTsystem 700 illustrating three of the magnet bars 740 of the carriage 704engaged with the stator assembly 710 of the guideway 706 is shown. Thethree magnet bars 740 have been moved towards the centerline of thecarriage 704 such that the three magnet bars 740 have a maximum (or nearmaximum) magnetic effect on the stator cores 730 and stator coils 732 ofthe stator assembly 710.

Referring to FIG. 51 a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the LMGTsystem 700 illustrating four of the magnet bars 740 of the carriage 704engaged with the stator assembly 710 of the guideway 706 is shown. Thefour magnet bars 740 have been moved towards the centerline of thecarriage 704 such that the four magnet bars 740 have a maximum (or nearmaximum) magnetic effect on the stator cores 730 and stator coils 732 ofthe stator assembly 710.

It is noted that that any single magnet bar 740, as it is moved whilethe carriage 704 is moving along the guideway 706 towards the edge ofthe stator cores 730 and stator coils 732, will first engage the outerloop of the stator coils 732 where electricity will begin to flow in thestator coils 732 and increase as the magnet bar 740 is translatedtowards the edge of the stator cores 730. The flow of electricity in thestator coils 732 will continue to increase until the magnet bar 740 isfully engaged or completely under the stator cores 730 and stator coils732.

This flow of electricity in the stator coils 732 creates an opposingmagnetic field with respect to the movement of the carriage 704. Thisopposing magnetic field, known as back EMF, increases with the speed ofthe carriage 704 along the guideway 706. The back EMF is overcome byincreasing the flow of electricity into the stator coils 732 in theopposite direction from the outside power source. The higher the speedof the carriage 704, the greater the amount power used to overcome theback EMF.

Even when coasting, power is used to maintain the speed of the carriage704 or gradually reduce the speed of the carriage 704 to overcome theback EMF. Large systems carrying heavy weight often use large magnetsand a large power application at start up to overcome inertial forces.These large magnets may become a detriment for very fast systems oncethe vehicle is at its intended speed and only needs enough power tomaintain that speed. This is particularly true in magnetic levitation(Mag Lev) systems where friction and rolling resistance is greatlyreduced. The LMGT system 700 disclosed herein can balance and/or focusand control the amount of magnetic force needed to overcome inertialforces on startup and then to reduce the back EMF at speed, but thenrapidly increase the amount of back EMF for magnetic breaking purposes,which in some instances may require more magnet bars 740 than would benecessary for normal operations. In some implementations, where thesystem is configured as a Mag Lev system, the rail wheels 712 on eachside of the carriage 704 are replaced with Mag Lev pods (e.g., at leastone on each side).

Each of the stator coils 732 is mounted in a stator slot, cut inlaminated soft iron, perpendicular to the centerline of the guideway 706throughout the length of the guideway 706 and directly above the surfaceof the magnet bar assembly 718 as the carriage 704 moves along theguideway 706. The surface of the stator cores 730 between the statorslots is separated from the surface of the magnet bar assembly 718 by asmall gap. The transverse centerline of the stator coils 732 is directlyabove the centerline of the carriage frame 738. The stator slots andrespective stator cores 730 are equal to or slightly longer than thecombined width of the total number of magnet bars 740 in the magnet barassembly 718, such that when the magnet bars 740 are together in thecenter of the carriage 704 the magnet bars 740 are directly under thestator cores 730 and where in some instances to allow for space betweenthe magnet bars 740 for magnetic field adjustment the magnet bars 740may be slightly separated and still remain under the stator cores 730.Stator coils 732 may be mounted in slots in the stator cores 730 suchthat the stator coil loop extends slightly beyond the end of the statorcore material on each side of the stator cores 730, providing adifferent magnetic field strength when the magnets bars 740 arepositioned, partially or fully over the stator coil ends than when fullyover the stator cores themselves. The stator coil wiring can include twoor more non-twisted wires that through a switching system may beconnected in series, in parallel or a combination thereof. Theindividual coils in a phase may be connected to each other in serieswithin a group of two or more coils connected to the power source orcombinations of series and parallel connected to the power sourcewhereby the resistance within each group of coils may be effectivelychanged through computer-controlled switches.

In some embodiments, the LMGT system 700 can be implemented withexpanded stator cores/stator coils and magnets 748 in a variation of thebase configuration to allow for economical high speed long distancetravel. For example, the LMGT system 700 can be implemented withstandard stator cores and coils, spacing, size and wiring as describedherein, where such spacing and size is designed to meet expected widelyvarying conditions. Beginning with the predetermined spacing, size andwiring to meet standard conditions and transitioning from congestedurban area travel to long distance high speed travel, the stator coilsize may be increased, and wiring size changed, including in certainsituations the elimination of the core material. The changing of thestator coil size and wiring is done gradually by changing the statorcoils 732 in the stator track one coil at a time until the desired sizeis achieved, not, in this example, to exceed twice its original length.The change in stator coil size may require that the magnets 748 becorrespondingly changed to match the varying stator coils size changes.This is accomplished by limiting the number of magnet bars 740 in thelongitudinal direction on the carriage 704 to one, but still allowingmultiple parallel sets of magnet bars 740 that can be moved togetherunder the stator cores 730 or laterally separated removing one magnetset at a time from under the stator cores 730 on each side of the linearstator. Each magnet bar 740 is then equipped with a linear motion deviceto gradually increase the longitudinal distance between the magnets 748on each magnet bar 740. The magnet bars 740 are coordinated in sets oftwo so that the center of the space between the north and south magnets748 on the first magnet bar 740 is directly adjacent to the center ofthe magnet 748 on the next adjacent magnet bar 740. Thus, when lookingdown or directly at the face of the magnets 748 when fully extended ontheir respective magnet bars 740 and as the carriage 704 crosses animaginary line across the guideway 706, the magnets 748 on the left andright magnet bar 740 cross the line as North Left, North Right, SouthLeft, South Right, North Left, North Left etc. The length of the Northand South Pole Magnets as seen by the stator have effectively beenincreased to up to twice their original length to match the changedlength of the stator coils 732. Sensors are placed on each stator coil732 so that a sensing device on the carriage 704 can measure thedistance between the stator coils 732 and make the adjustments in thedistance between the magnets 748 on each magnet bar 740 as the distancechanges along the guideway 706. Complimenting this feature is thecontinued ability to engage additional magnet bar 740 sets for increasedor decreased power and further change the wiring configuration of thestator windings between all wires in series, parallel or combinationsthereof.

The LMGT system 700 has an output that can be dynamically changed withmore efficient performance over a predefined range than previouslypossible under the current state of the art. The alternating flux of thepermanent magnets flowing from the linear magnet bar magnets 748 to thestator cores 730 can be adjusted with several different techniques. Forexample, the alternative flux can be adjusted by varying the alignmentof the linear magnet bar magnets 748 where the flux from the linearmagnet bar magnets 748 is partially to varying degrees engaged with thecoil end loops and the stator cores 730. In another example, thealternative flux can be adjusted by utilizing two linear magnet bars740, one on either side of the center plane of the stator, where thealternating north and south magnetic poles of the magnets 748 on thelinear magnet bar 740 are in the same linear position relative to oneanother (directly across from one another-transverse to the direction ofcarriage travel). The distance from the center plane of the stator tothe center plane of the magnet bars 740 can be varied. The polarmagnetic fields from the magnets 748 on the two linear magnet bars 740oppose one another, where the combined polar magnetic field between thetwo rotors is deflected, twisted or focused into the stator cores 730creating a greater flux field or flow into the stator cores 730 thanwould be available from the sum of the two magnet bars 740 and theirrespective magnets 748 acting alone. This field is adjusted by movingthe magnet bars 740 closer to each other and the stator center plane orby moving the rotors further away from the stator center plane and eachother. In another example, the alternative flux can be adjusted byutilizing more than two linear magnet bars 740 aligned in the samemanner as the previous example. If an odd number of linear magnet bars740 is used, the flux may be adjusted by placing one magnet bar 740 onthe center plane and moving the two or more linear magnet bars 740closer to each other and the center plane or further away from thecenter plane. If an even number of linear magnet bars 740 is used, theflux may be adjusted by moving the four or more linear magnet bars 740closer to the center plane and each other or away from the center planeand each other. In another example, the alternative flux can be adjustedby a combination of the three above techniques where one or two of theouter most linear magnet bars 740 are partially engaged, to varyingdegrees, with the coil end loops and the stator cores 730. Utilizing anyof these techniques to adjust the flow of magnetic flux between thestator and linear magnet bar magnets has the same or similar effect tobeing able to change the size of the permanent magnets of the LMGTsystem 700 at any time during its operation.

Changing the wiring and number of turns to modify the flux of a statorcore 730 and the electricity flowing in a stator coil 732 is not as easyto adjust or vary as the flux flowing from the linear magnet barpermanent magnets. However, this disclosure provides several methods andconfigurations to achieve distinctly different volt/amp characteristicsin the stator coils 732, where each stator core 730 can be configuredfor an optimized (or nearly optimized) flux flow between the linearmagnet bars and the stator by adjusting the polar magnetic flux from thelinear magnet bars 740 acting on the stator to improve efficiency. Insome implementations, this can be accomplished by separating themultiphase stator wiring and providing multiple non-twisted parallelwires in the core windings for each phase leg (and in some cases withwires of different size) with the ability to switch and connect themultiple wires in all series, all parallel, and combinations of paralleland series configurations (e.g., as described herein with reference toFIGS. 7 through 15 ). In some implementations, one or more wires may bedisconnected to provide additional wiring configurations (e.g. droppingfrom a six-wire configuration or a four-wire configuration, or thelike). In some implementations, the system can provide two separatemulti-phase wiring configurations with separate controllers on the samestator, and in some implementations separating the coils in each phaseleg (including the multi- wires therein) so that any of the statorphases in either separate multi-phase configuration can be switched(e.g. using electronic switches) to be connected in series, in parallel,or in combinations thereof. In the stator coil wiring system, the coilsthemselves (including the multiple parallel non-twisted wires in eachcoil) are connected with switches to connect groups of three or moresuccessive coils in a phase in series with each other and the groupsconnected within a control block connected in parallel. This candramatically change the resistance within a group of coils and theamp-turn capacity of the individual coils.

In embodiments, the LMGT system 700 can also be adjusted by combiningmultiple LMGT carriage units 704 on one vehicle or transportationplatform (one in front of the other on the same guideway 706 and stator)each having respective multiple linear magnet bar systems as hereindescribed acting on the same stator in the same guideway 706 to vary theoverall system output. For example, the LMGT carriage units 704 can beplaced on the same vehicle under common control from a central processorwhere they may operate together for increased power or one can operatewhile the other is in neutral with its magnets 748 disengaged from thestator coils 732. The LMGT units may also be configured to shift backand forth between different series, parallel, or combinations thereofwiring configurations acting under the command of one or morecontrollers to provide smooth transitions between the various wiringcombinations. Two or more carriages 704 on one vehicle can beimplemented because of the ability to selectively activate the coilsengaged with the first stator separately from the coils engaged with thesecond stator or to completely disengage the magnets 748 in the first orsecond carriage 704 from the guideway stator.

In embodiments of this disclosure, any single LMGT unit may have any orall of the combinations of multiple wiring and switching describedherein, including switching multiple wire windings in series or parallelconnected to each other in series. Where the LMGT unit/system ismulti-pole, the individual coils of a phase winding may be connected inseries or parallel or in sets of two or more coils in parallel connectedto each other in series, providing a wide range of volt/amp and torquespeed ratios in a single motor/generator that is electronicallyreconfigurable to meet widely varying conditions. This feature coupledwith mechanical shifting of the magnet bars 740 to engage, partiallyengage (any one or two magnet bars) or disengage individual magnet bars740 with the stator core 730 and stator coils 732, allows the computersystem, by fine tuning the degree of engagement between the magnet barmagnets 748 and the stator coils 732, to adjust (e.g., increase ordiminish) the strength of the magnetic field between the magnet barmagnets 748 and the stator to improve the power efficiency of the LMGTunit/system at nearly any speed and pull force. Smooth transitionbetween one wiring configuration and another may be facilitated byemploying two inverter/controllers each controlling, through computerinput, alternating sets of coils in the stator acting on the magnet barmagnets 748. By making the switch from one wiring configuration to theother, first with the first controller and then with the secondcontroller with corresponding adjustments in voltage, current and pulsewidth modulation a smooth transition may be had between the two wiringconfigurations eliminating potential jolts or jerks in the carriagetravel.

The inverter/controller in the LMGT unit/system can regulate theincoming voltage which in turn regulates the amperage in the stator coilwires within the capacity of the wires and voltage source. The LMGTunit/system has the ability to switch between different wiringcombinations with different resistance in each creating a differentrange of amperage turns in each wiring combination as theinverter/controller through the computer system increases the voltage ineach wiring configuration from low to high. The different wiringconfigurations are then configured, combined and coordinated withvoltage regulation so that the overall range of the amperage flowing inthe stator coils can be uniformly regulated (e.g., increased ordecreased) over a greater extended range as the computer system switchesthe wiring from on configuration to the next correspondingly changingthe value of the amp turns in the stator coils 732 and resultingmagnetic field strength. With the LMGT unit/system’s ability to focus orcontrol the magnetic field of the rotor magnets interacting with thestator coils 732 over a much larger range from low to high by themovement of the magnet bars 740 with respect to the stator, the computersystem may be configured to make the position of the magnet bars 740with respect to the stator a function of the amp turns in the statorcoils 732 so that the magnet bars 740 are positioned to provide theoptimum (or nearly optimum) efficiency or balance between the magneticfields of the stator coils 732 and the magnet bar permanent magnets 748.

The LMGT system 700 can also be configured to apply magnetic brakingand/or slowing of the carriage 704 from high speed to lower speed andthe corresponding generation of electricity. The LMGT system 700 can behighly efficient as a generator. Braking may be performed by the LMGT asfollows. (1) The computer system stops the flow of electricity into thestator coils 732. (2) The computer system adjusts or focuses themagnetic field acting on the stator cores 730 to produce back EMF (whichin turn becomes drag or braking force to the movement of the carriage704). This is accomplished by causing threaded rod actuator(s) 746 tomove successive magnet bars 740 (if they are not already in position) toa position closer to or further from the centerline of the statorincreasing, decreasing or focusing the magnetic field acting on thestator core 730 to produce the back EMF necessary to decelerate thecarriage travel at a predetermined rate. (3) As the computer systemstops the flow of electricity to the stator coils 732, the computersystem can switch the connection of the stator coils 732 from thecontroller to an inverter connected to a DC line. The computer systemmay be configured to measure the flow of electricity from the statorcoils 732 to the inverter with sensors and configured to switch thestator windings from series to parallel or the combinations thereof tohandle the flow of electricity now being generated in the stator coils732 by the passing of the magnetic field of the magnet bar magnets 748over the stator coils 732 creating (back EMF) resistance or drag(braking force) to the forward movement of the carriage 704 along theguideway 706. (4) As the carriage 704 decelerates, the deceleration rateand the volts and amps of electricity flowing from the stator coils 732are constantly monitored and magnetic field and coil wiringconfigurations are adjusted, first to maintain the necessary rate ofdeceleration and second to improve the flow of electricity from thebreaking action of the LMGT. The magnetic field and wiring configurationare adjusted for breaking in the same manner as described herein for theLMGT operation as a Linear Motor. An advantage of this disclosure is theability to adjust the magnetic field by engaging more or less magnetswith the stator and in certain instances have a greater magnet capacityfor breaking than would be necessary for motive power and then furtheradjust the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing in the coilsthrough the multiple possible parallel and series wiring combinations.If the breaking is an unexpected emergency and more electricity ispotentially generated than the coils wires can handle, the magneticfield can be reduced, and standby mechanical brakes applied.

FIG. 52 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of an LMGTsystem 700 having a secondary power unit 760. FIG. 53 depicts aperspective view of an example of a secondary power unit 760 of the LMGTsystem 700 illustrated in FIG. 52 . FIG. 54 is a side view of thesecondary power unit 760 of an LMGT system 700 illustrated in FIG. 52 .The secondary power unit 760 includes rotor magnets 762, a linear stator764, and a stepper motor 766

In an embodiment, the LMGT system 700 comprises an integral powergenerator (e.g., a secondary power unit 760) for supplying power to thelateral drive units 744 including stepper motors 766 and other deviceson the carriage 704. For example, the LMGT system 700 can include or canbe at least partially operable as a power generator including a rotorwith rotor magnets 762 matched to the stator cores and stator coils ofthe system’s linear stator 764 and positioned such that the outersurface of the rotor magnets 762 are tangent to the plane of the systemstator cores separated by a small gap with its axis of rotationperpendicular to the direction of travel and mounted such that the fullwidth of the rotor magnets 762 is completely under the outer edge of thesystem’s linear stator 764. The generator rotor being partiallyencircled by a conventional rotary stator core and coils system but foronly and approximately two thirds of its circumference, where, as thecarriage 704 moves along the guideway 706, the generator rotor magnetsreact with the energized system stator coils causing the generator rotorto turn at a circumferential speed equal to the speed of travel of thecarriage 704 in turn causing electricity to be generated in thegenerator’s stator coils which in turn is converted to DC byconventional means and used to charge the batteries supplyingelectricity to the stepper motors 766 and controls in the carriage 704.The generator rotor is mounted such that it may be translated on itsaxel away from being fully under the center system core and coils tobecome partially or fully disengaged from the system stator and thegenerator stator 764 as necessary to accommodate the power requirementsof the carriage 704. The generator, other than its inter-relationshipwith the system stator and the generator stator 764 at the same time, isconsistent with U.S. Pat. Nos 9,479,037; 9,748,886 and 9,819,296 inwhole or in part including wiring and control systems related thereto.U.S. Pat. Nos 9,479,037; 9,748,886 and 9,819,296 are incorporated hereinby reference in their entirety.

This disclosure also provides an ancillary feature for use on high speedlong distance transit lines such as may be encountered with a magneticlevitation system. The LMGT system 700 in such cases may be identical orvery similar to that described herein where it is operating in areaswith short distances between frequent stops except that its magnet bars740 may not be segmented in the longitudinal direction (as described insome embodiments) and the individual magnets 748 are mounted on eachmagnet bar 740 so that they can be translated in the longitudinaldirection (e.g., using a linear motion device) so as to be in theconventional close contact with one another longitudinally withalternating north and south pole magnets facing towards the stator.Where the guideway 706 extends to areas involving long distances betweenstops and very high speed is required, the stator magnet coils 732 aregradually increased in length to the point where they are twice as longas in the short distance mode and remain at that length until nearingthe next stop point where they are gradually shortened in length back tothe short distance mode. The magnet bars 740 with the longitudinallytranslatable magnets 748 are mounted on the slide table 742 so that theycan be moved towards the centerline of the stator and engaged with thestator coils 732 or away from the centerline of the table and partiallyor totally disengaged with the stator coils 732 in the same manner aspreviously described herein. The magnets bars 740 with thelongitudinally translatable magnets 748 are arranged in pairs. Thelinear motion device on each magnet bar 740 is such that on command fromthe computer system the magnets 748 on each magnet bar 748 may beseparated from each other in increments up to the length of each magnet748 so that the north magnets 748 of the center most magnet bar 740 areone magnet length ahead of the north magnets 748 on the outer mostmagnet bar 740 such that the forward end of the outermost magnets 748are at equal distance longitudinally in the carriage 704 with the rearend of the center most magnets 748. The south magnets 748 can bearranged in the same manner so that as the carriage 704 moves along theguideway 706 the magnets 748 in the pair of magnet bars 740 cross atransverse line across the guideway 706 in the following order: northcenter, north outer, south center, south outer, north center, northouter, south center, south outer, etc., for as many magnets 748 as thereare mounted on each magnet bar 740. This arrangement effectivelylengthens the magnets 748 on the carriage 704 to match the length of thecoils in the highspeed portion of the guideway 706 effectively doublingthe distance of travel with each alternating current change, doublingthe speed of travel. The distance between each coil is determined fromthe signals from the Hall effect sensors to the computer system which inturn causes the linear motion device on each magnet bar 740 to increasethe longitudinal distance between the magnets 748 on the magnet bars 740to equal the distance between the stator coils 732, increasing thedistance between the magnets 748 as the distance between the statorcoils 732 increases and decreasing the distance between the magnets 748as the distance between the stator coils 732 decreases.

FIG. 55 is an end view of an embodiment of a LMGT system 800. The LMGTsystem 800 includes a support structure 802, induction coils 804 andHalbach ring arrays 806 disposed at sides of the carriage 808.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or process operations, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

1. A linear motor/generator/transmission (LMGT) system, comprising: aguideway including guide rails; a carriage configured to travel alongthe guideway in a first direction; a plurality of stator cores and coilsdisposed along the length of the guideway, each phase of the pluralityof stator coils including sets of at least three coils and mounted instator slots; a respective set of parallel non-twisted wires withelectronic switches for connecting the parallel non-twisted wires ofeach phase of the three or more stator coils all in series, all inparallel, or in a combination of series and parallel; a plurality oflinear slideways disposed on the carriage and extending in a seconddirection; and at least two magnet bars adjacent to each other in thesecond direction, each one of the at least two magnet bars withalternating pole magnets, each successive magnet of each magnet barmounted in front of the other in the first direction, wherein each ofthe at least two magnet bars have a plurality of linear slide bearings,the plurality of linear slide bearings disposed on a side opposite tothe alternating pole magnets and engaged with the plurality of linearslideways, the at least two magnet bars sliding parallel to and oneither side of a longitudinal centerline of the carriage such that, whenadjacent to the centerline and each other, the at least two magnet barsare positioned over the stator coils and configured to be slidablytranslated away from the center line of the carriage to a position wherethe at least two magnet bars are not over the stator coils. 2-5.(canceled)
 6. The LMGT system of claim 1, wherein the surfaces of thecores between the stator slots are separated from the surfaces of themagnets by a small gap.
 7. The LMGT system of claim 6, wherein atransverse centerline of the stator coils is directly above thecenterline of the carriage frame.
 8. The LMGT system of claim 7, whereinthe stator slots and respective stator cores are equal to or slightlylonger than the combined width of the total number of magnet bars, suchthat when the magnet bars are together in the center of the carriagethey are directly under the stator cores.
 9. The LMGT system of claim 8,wherein the magnet bars are slightly separated and still remain underthe stator cores to allow for space between the magnet bars for magneticfield adjustment.
 10. The LMGT system of claim 1, wherein the statorcoils are mounted in slots in the stator core such that the coil loopextends slightly beyond the end of the core material on each side of thestator core, providing a different magnetic field strength when themagnets are positioned, partially or fully over the coil ends than whenfully over the stator cores themselves.
 11. The LMGT system of claim 1,wherein the individual coils in a phase may be connected to each otherin series within a group of two or more coils connected to a powersource or combinations of series and parallel connected to the powersource whereby the resistance within each group of coils may beeffectively changed by the computer controlled switches. 12-13.(canceled)
 14. A linear motor/generator/transmission (LMGT) system,comprising: a guideway with parallel rails; a plurality of stator coresand stator coils evenly disposed along the length and in the center ofthe guideway, the stator coils mounted in stator slots; a carriageconfigured to travel along the guideway in a first direction; aplurality of linear slideways disposed on the carriage and extending ina second direction; and at least two magnet bars with alternating polemagnets, each successive magnet of each magnet bar mounted in front ofthe other in the first direction, wherein each of the at least twomagnet bars have a plurality of linear slide bearings, the plurality oflinear slide bearings disposed on a side opposite to the alternatingpole magnets and engaged with the plurality of linear slideways , the atleast two magnet bars sliding parallel to and on either side of alongitudinal centerline of the carriage such that, when adjacent to thecenterline and each other, the at least two magnet bars are positionedover the stator coils and configured to be slidably translated away fromthe center line of the carriage to a position where the at least twomagnet bars are not over the stator coils. 15-18. (canceled)
 19. TheLMGT system of claim 14, wherein the surfaces of the stator coresbetween the stator slots are separated from the surfaces of the magnetsby a small gap.
 20. The LMGT system of claim 19, whereina transversecenterline of the stator coils is directly above the centerline of thecarriage frame.
 21. The LMGT system of claim 20, wherein the statorslots and respective stator cores are equal to or slightly longer thanthe combined width of the total number of magnet bars, such that whenthe magnet bars are together in the center of the carriage they aredirectly under the stator cores.
 22. The LMGT system of claim 21,wherein the magnet bars are slightly separated and still remain underthe stator cores to allow for space between the magnet bars for magneticfield adjustment.
 23. The LMGT system of claim 14, wherein the statorcoils are mounted in slots in the stator core such that the coil loopextends slightly beyond the end of the core material on each side of thestator core, providing a different magnetic field strength when themagnets are positioned, partially or fully over the coil ends than whenfully over the stator cores themselves.
 24. The LMGT system of claim 14,wherein the individual coils in a phase may be connected to each otherin series within a group of two or more coils connected to a powersource or combinations of series and parallel connected to the powersource whereby the resistance within each group of coils may beeffectively changed by the computer controlled switches. 25-26.(canceled)
 27. A linear motor/generator/transmission (LMGT) system,comprising: a guideway with parallel rails; a plurality of stator coresand stator coils evenly disposed along the length and in the center ofthe guideway, wherein each phase of the plurality of stator coilsincludes, in sets of three or more coils, a respective set of parallelnon-twisted wires with electronic switches for connecting the parallelnon-twisted wires of each phase of the three or more stator coils all inseries, all in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel; acarriage configured to travel along the guideway in a first direction; aplurality of linear slideways disposed on the carriage and extending ina second direction; and at least two magnet bars adjacent to each otherin the second direction, each one of the at least two magnet bars withalternating pole magnets, each successive magnet of each magnet barmounted in front of the other in the first direction, the at least twomagnet bars having a plurality of linear slide bearings, the pluralityof linear slide bearings disposed on a side opposite to the alternatingpole magnets and engaged with the plurality of linear slideways. 28-30.(canceled)
 31. The LMGT system of claim 27, wherein the stator coils aremounted in stator slots, cut in laminated soft iron, perpendicular tothe centerline of the guideway throughout the length of the systemdirectly above the surface of the carriage magnet bar magnets as thecarriage moves along the guideway.
 32. The LMGT system of claim 31,wherein the surfaces of the stator cores between the stator slots areseparated from the surfaces of the magnets by a small gap.
 33. The LMGTsystem of claim 32, wherein the transverse centerline of the statorcoils is directly above the centerline of the carriage frame.
 34. TheLMGT system of claim 33, wherein the stator slots and respective statorcores are equal to or slightly longer than the combined width of thetotal number of magnet bars, such that when the magnet bars are togetherin the center of the carriage they are directly under the stator cores.35. The LMGT system of claim 34, wherein the magnet bars are slightlyseparated and still remain under the stator cores to allow for spacebetween the magnet bars for magnetic field adjustment. 36-39. (canceled)